Clinical activity of the new triazole drug voriconazole (UK 109, 496) against disseminated hepatosplenic aspergillosis in a patient with relapsed leukemia

There is presently a limited antifungal armamentarium comprising amphotericin and the azoles, fluconazole and itraconazole. In vitro studies have shown efficacy of the new drug, voriconazole, against a wide range of fungi, including most species of Candida and Aspergillus. We review here a case report of a young boy with acute myeloid leukemia who developed disseminated hepatosplenic aspergillosis. He failed therapy with itraconazole, amphotericin B and liposomal amphotericin. As he also had relapsed leukemia, there was a great urgency to control this infection in order to facilitate the administration of cancer chemotherapy. Voriconazole was given with good response resulting in virtual disappearance of all scan evidence of aspergillosis.