Efficacy of anidulafungin, caspofungin and fluconazole in the early phase of infection in a neutropenic murine invasive candidiasis model

In this study, we investigated the in vivo efficacy of anidulafungin during the early phase of disseminated candidiasis in a neutropenic murine model and compared the results with those obtained for fluconazole. Antifungal efficacy was evaluated by reduction of fungal burden in the tissues of infected animals at periodic intervals during the first day of treatment. The fungal burden in tissues of drug-treated mice was reduced compared with controls in a time-dependent manner. At 24h after drug treatment, a >2log₁₀ reduction of fungal burden in the kidney was obtained in the anidulafungin- and caspofungin-treated mice compared with a ca. 1.2log₁₀ reduction in fluconazole-treated mice (P<0.003). There was no significant difference in the splenic fungal burden at 24h. Thus, echinocandins have excellent antifungal activity in the early phase of disseminated Candida albicans infection and may contribute to an improved outcome in critically ill immunocompromised/neutropenic patients.