A Clinical Trial of Itraconazole in the Treatment of Deep Mycoses and Leishmaniasis

Itraconazole was administered orally to two patients with sporotrichosis, 10 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis, three with mycetomas (due to Madurella grisea, Streptomyces madurae, and Pseudochaetosphaeronema larense, respectively), nine with chromomycosis due to Cladosporium carrionii, five with chromomycosis due to Fonsecaea pedrosoi and five with leishmaniasis (including one with the nodular disseminated form). The clinical and laboratory tests showed excellent tolerance to the drug with a total absence of adverse reactions. Satisfactory results were achieved against paracoccidioidomycosis, sporotrichosis, and chromomycosis due to C. carrionii (apparent cure was achieved in a short time). Encouraging improvement was noted in the treatment of mycetoma due to M. grisea. Among the five cases of leishmaniasis, a complete clearing was achieved in one and an encouraging improvement in two, including the one with the nodular disseminated form. Two patients with F. pedrosoi infection were apparently cured after the addition of thermotherapy and flucytosine, respectively, to the treatment regimen.