Superficial cutaneous and mucosal
Candida infections are common and widely affect both the immunocompromised as well as the immunocompetent populations. Common
infections may include Candida
paronychia,
cutaneous candidiasis,
oral candidiasis,
vulvovaginal candidiasis, and Candida
onychomycosis. Although C albicans has been considered to be the most common pathogen, other Candida species have emerged as potential causes of certain
infections. Currently, a variety of
antifungal agents is available to treat these
infections. They include
fluconazole,
ketoconazole, and
itraconazole. These agents have been widely used to treat
fungal infections, including superficial and
systemic candidiasis. However, some concerns exist regarding safety associated with long-term use of
ketoconazole, and emerging issues of Candida resistance to
fluconazole in some patient subsets have been reported.
Itraconazole has proven efficacy in treating cutaneous and mucosal
Candida infections. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that
itraconazole may have increased efficacy and an excellent safety profile when administered in a pulse-dose, or intermittent fashion, for superficial mycotic
infections.
Itraconazole is an effective agent that warrants consideration when selecting treatment for
Candida infections.