Antifungal Therapy in Pediatric Patients

Invasive fungal infections still play a major role in morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients, especially in children undergoing therapy for an underlying malignancy and in preterm infants. Relative to the adult population, pediatric age groups display important differences not only in host biology, predisposing conditions, epidemiology, and presentation of fungal infections, but also in the disposition and clearance of antifungal compounds. During the past decade, several new antifungal agents have been developed. Although not all of these agents are yet approved for children, the pediatric development of antifungal agents has moved forward in an exemplary manner, which is essential for the successful management of the individual patient. This article reviews the current data on pharmacokinetics, safety, and dosing of antifungal agents in pediatric patients.