Emergency Use of Voriconazole in Patients With Life-Threatening Invasive Fungal Infections

This protocol provides for emergency treatment with the experimental anti-fungal drug voriconazole for patients with life-threatening invasive fungal infections. The increase in the number of patients whose immune function is suppressed because of chemotherapy, tissue or organ transplantation, or HIV infection has led to an increase in fungal infections. New drugs are needed to combat these infections in patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate standard treatments. Patients on other primary NIH protocols who have an invasive life-threatening fungal infection that does not respond to currently available treatments or who cannot tolerate these treatments may be eligible for this study. Participants will have a blood test and a physical examination before receiving voriconazole. They will receive voriconazole twice a day either as an infusion into a vein or as tablets taken by mouth. Adult patients will be asked to provide a blood sample any time after the first dose of voriconazole to be used for developing a test to measure voriconazole concentration in the blood. Patients will be evaluated about 10 days after starting treatment and then at least once every 4 weeks with a symptom check and blood test.

Sex

All

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

All subjects must have a proven fungal infection that is resistant to standard therapy, or to which the patient is significantly intolerant. (Intolerance must include signs of intolerance such as fever, rigors, laboratory abnormalities, as well as subjective symptoms).

Children are eligible.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

AST, ALT greater than 10x the upper limit of normal

Previous hypersensitivity to azole antifungals

Concomitant Rifampin, carbamazepine, or barbiturates or greater than 3 days of such drugs in the 14 days prior to treatment with voriconazole