Treatment of fungal infections in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Mycoses due to a variety of organisms have been implicated as opportunistic pathogens in patients infected with HIV. These infections are a cause of significant morbidity and mortality, and most often require life-long antifungal medication to suppress reactivation of the fungal process. With the advent of newer antifungal drugs, such as fluconazole and itraconazole, options are available so that appropriate nontoxic, long-term therapy can be administered. As the number of HIV-infected people increases and their longevity is extended, fungi will continue to pose challenging problems in diagnosis and therapy.