New antifungal agents in pediatric practice.

Clinical needs for new antifungal agents have steadily increased with the rise and alteration in spectrum of invasive mycoses in children and neonates having AIDS, malignancies and undergoing immunosuppressive therapies. Several new options are now available for management of serious fungal infections. The aim of this review is to summarize the key features of the new antifungal agents and novel targets being investigated for the treatment of fungal infections, with special reference to its use in the treatment of pediatric fungal infections. New triazoles have broad spectrum of activity with voriconazole presently being the drug of choice against invasive aspergillosis, and posaconazole is the possible first substitute of amphotericin B against zygomycosis. Echinocandins with new mode of action of inhibition of fungal cell wall polysaccharide synthesis are effective in treating candidemia and invasive candidiasis. Some of these agents are however, still awaiting FDA approval for their use in pediatric practice.