Chemoprophylaxis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis

Invasive aspergillosis in now the second most common mycosis encountered in patients with cancer, particularly those with haematological malignancies. The present review discusses strategies for the chemoprophylaxis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Recommendations for chemoprophylaxis are currently based on the particular fungal pathogens seen in individual centres and the resources available. In many units, only BMT recipients are nursed in protected environments and the majority of patients at risk of invasive mycosis, i.e. patients undergoing remission induction or consolidation therapy, are nursed on open wards. The studies so far reported have included relatively small numbers of patients and provide insufficient data for definitive recommendations. The measures used at present should be considered as ad hoc approaches for use in units in which spore-free air for profoundly neutropenic patients is lacking. Nebulized amphotericin B allows deposition of a chemical barrier throughout the airways. Intravenous low dose amphotericin B would be protective when invasion occurs and is clearly the chemoprophylaxis of choice in patients with an established diagnosis of previous invasive aspergillosis at any site. The role of surgery in removing a focus of infection before further chemotherapy, should not be overlooked. The potential role of cytokines in accelerating host defence recovery may in future also prove to be important in controlling invasive fungal infection.