Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Author Spotlight: Alleviating Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy with Safe and Effective Auricular Acupuncture
05:33

Author Spotlight: Alleviating Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy with Safe and Effective Auricular Acupuncture

Published on: August 4, 2023

2.3K

Isavuconazole Is Effective for the Treatment of Experimental Cryptococcal Meningitis

Nathan P Wiederhold1, Laura Kovanda2, Laura K Najvar3

  • 1University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA wiederholdn@uthscsa.edu.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|June 22, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Isavuconazole significantly improved survival and reduced fungal burden in mice with cryptococcal meningitis. Higher drug exposures correlated with greater treatment efficacy against Cryptococcus neoformans.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cryptococcal meningitis remains a significant global health threat, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
  • Limited treatment options and emerging resistance necessitate the development of novel antifungal therapies.
  • Isavuconazole is a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal with demonstrated activity against various fungal pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of isavuconazole in a murine model of cryptococcal meningitis.
  • To compare the therapeutic effects of isavuconazole with fluconazole, a standard antifungal treatment.
  • To investigate the relationship between isavuconazole exposure levels and treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Infection of mice with Cryptococcus neoformans (strains USC1597 and H99) via intracranial inoculation.
  • Administration of oral isavuconazole at two different doses (120 mg/kg BID and 240 mg/kg BID) or fluconazole (positive control).
  • Assessment of survival rates and quantification of fungal burden in brain tissue post-treatment.

Main Results:

  • Both isavuconazole doses and fluconazole significantly improved survival rates in infected mice.
  • Isavuconazole treatment led to a significant reduction in fungal burden in the brain for both C. neoformans isolates.
  • Elevated plasma and brain tissue concentrations of isavuconazole were associated with enhanced survival and reduced fungal loads.

Conclusions:

  • Isavuconazole demonstrates significant efficacy against experimental cryptococcal meningitis caused by C. neoformans.
  • The drug offers a promising therapeutic option for cryptococcal meningitis, with dose-dependent improvements in outcomes.
  • Further clinical investigation of isavuconazole for cryptococcal meningitis is warranted.

More Related Videos

Isolating Central Nervous System Tissues and Associated Meninges for the Downstream Analysis of Immune cells09:35

Isolating Central Nervous System Tissues and Associated Meninges for the Downstream Analysis of Immune cells

Published on: May 19, 2020

10.7K
Automated Measurement of Cryptococcal Species Polysaccharide Capsule and Cell Body08:08

Automated Measurement of Cryptococcal Species Polysaccharide Capsule and Cell Body

Published on: January 11, 2018

7.8K

Related Concept Videos

Cranial and Spinal Meninges01:19

Cranial and Spinal Meninges

The cranial and spinal meninges are complex protective structures surrounding the central nervous system (CNS), consisting of the brain and spinal cord. These meninges consist of the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater. They protect the CNS, provide structural support, and aid in circulating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Cranial Meninges
These meningeal layers cover the cranium. The dura mater is the outermost layer of cranial meninges. It is a thick and durable membrane of dense...
3.8K
Buffer Effectiveness02:19

Buffer Effectiveness

Buffer solutions do not have an unlimited capacity to keep the pH relatively constant . Instead, the ability of a buffer solution to resist changes in pH relies on the presence of appreciable amounts of its conjugate weak acid-base pair. When enough strong acid or base is added to substantially lower the concentration of either member of the buffer pair, the buffering action within the solution is compromised.
The buffer capacity is the amount of acid or base that can be added to a given volume...
55.0K
Framing Effects03:26

Framing Effects

Information is everywhere and its presentation—such as how and when items are presented—can impact our perceptions and decisions surrounding the info. This broad concept umbrellas framing effects—influences that occur due to the way information is framed in its appearance, whether it’s purely the order or the specific wording of a message. Let’s take a look at numerous ways in which two versions of something can objectively say the same thing, yet we respond in...
7.9K
Biological Effects of Radiation02:59

Biological Effects of Radiation

All radioactive nuclides emit high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. When this radiation encounters living cells, it can cause heating, break chemical bonds, or ionize molecules. The most serious biological damage results when these radioactive emissions fragment or ionize molecules. For example, α and β particles emitted from nuclear decay reactions possess much higher energies than ordinary chemical bond energies. When these particles strike and penetrate matter, they...
17.7K
Experimental Determination of Chemical Formula02:37

Experimental Determination of Chemical Formula

The elemental makeup of a compound defines its chemical identity, and chemical formulas are the most concise way of representing this elemental makeup. When a compound’s formula is unknown, measuring the mass of its constituent elements is often the first step in determining the formula experimentally.
46.6K
Experimental Designs01:16

Experimental Designs

An experimental design is a systematic process that allows researchers to evaluate the relationship between dependent and independent variables. There are three widely used types of experimental design - pre-experimental design, true experimental design, and quasi-experimental design. In pre-experimental design, the researcher compares the data before and after some interventions or treatments. The true-experimental design has more than one purposefully created group, a commonly measured...
16.7K