Treatment of Candida sepsis and Cryptococcus meningitis with 5-fluorocytosine. A new antifungal agent

The two patients whom we treated for systemic fungus infections with 5-fluorocytosine, an antifungal agent effective in experimental animal infection with Candida and cryptococci, had a satisfactory clinical response in association with therapy. One patient with Candida sepsis received 5-fluorocytosine for 21 days in a dose ranging from 2 to 4 gm daily. The other patient, with cryptococcal meningitis recurring after amphotericin B treatment, received 5-fluorocytosine in a dose of 2.25 to 9 gm daily for 50 days. There was little evidence of drug toxicity. The new agent deserves controlled clinical evaluation in systemic fungus infections.