Editing Amphotericin B (section)

== Medical uses ==

=== Antifungal ===
One of the main uses of amphotericin B is treating a wide range of systemic [[Fungal infection in animals|fungal infection]]s. Due to its extensive side effects, it is often reserved for severe infections in critically ill or [[immunocompromised]] patients. It is considered first line therapy for invasive [[mucormycosis]] infections, [[Cryptococcosis|cryptococcal meningitis]], and certain [[Aspergillosis|aspergillus]] and [[Candidiasis|candidal]] infections.<ref>{{cite book|title = Drugs Active against Fungi, Pneumocystis, and Microsporidia|isbn = 978-1-4557-4801-3|pages = 479–494.e4| vauthors = Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ |date = 28 August 2014| publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Moen MD, Lyseng-Williamson KA, Scott LJ | title = Liposomal amphotericin B: a review of its use as empirical therapy in febrile neutropenia and in the treatment of invasive fungal infections | journal = Drugs | volume = 69 | issue = 3 | pages = 361–392 | date = 2012-09-17 | pmid = 19275278 | doi = 10.2165/00003495-200969030-00010 | s2cid = 34340503 }}</ref> It has been a highly effective drug for over fifty years in large part because it has a low incidence of [[Antimicrobial resistance|drug resistance]] in the pathogens it treats. This is because amphotericin B resistance requires sacrifices on the part of the pathogen that make it susceptible to the host environment, and too weak to cause infection.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://wi.mit.edu/news/archive/2013/understanding-evolution-drug-resistance-points-novel-strategy-developing-better|title=Understanding the evolution of drug resistance points to novel strategy for developing better antimicrobials| vauthors = Rura N |date=2013-10-29|access-date=2016-11-14|via=Whitehead Institute|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115134239/http://wi.mit.edu/news/archive/2013/understanding-evolution-drug-resistance-points-novel-strategy-developing-better|archive-date=2016-11-15}}</ref>

=== Antiprotozoal ===
Amphotericin B is used for life-threatening [[protozoan infections]] such as [[visceral leishmaniasis]]<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = den Boer M, Davidson RN | title = Treatment options for visceral leishmaniasis | journal = Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy | volume = 4 | issue = 2 | pages = 187–197 | date = April 2006 | pmid = 16597201 | doi = 10.1586/14787210.4.2.187 | s2cid = 42784356 }}</ref> and [[primary amoebic meningoencephalitis]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Grace E, Asbill S, Virga K | title = Naegleria fowleri: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options | journal = Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy | volume = 59 | issue = 11 | pages = 6677–6681 | date = November 2015 | pmid = 26259797 | pmc = 4604384 | doi = 10.1128/AAC.01293-15 }}</ref>

===Spectrum of susceptibility===
The following table shows the amphotericin B susceptibility for several medically important fungi.
{| class="wikitable"
!Species
!MIC{{clarify|date=May 2025}} breakpoint<br>(mg/L)
|-
|''[[Aspergillus fumigatus]]''
|1<ref name="European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing_2015">{{cite web|url = http://www.eucast.org/fileadmin/src/media/PDFs/EUCAST_files/AFST/Clinical_breakpoints/Antifungal_breakpoints_v_8.0_November_2015.pdf|author = European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing|title=Antifungal Agents, Breakpoint tables for interpretation of MICs|date = 2015-11-16|access-date = 2015-11-17}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Aspergillus terreus]]''
|Resistant<ref name="European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing_2015" /><ref name="Hamill_2013">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hamill RJ | title = Amphotericin B formulations: a comparative review of efficacy and toxicity | journal = Drugs | volume = 73 | issue = 9 | pages = 919–934 | date = June 2013 | pmid = 23729001 | doi = 10.1007/s40265-013-0069-4 | s2cid = 2785865 }}</ref>
|-
|''[[Candida albicans]]''
|1<ref name="European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing_2015" />
|-
|''[[Candida glabrata]]''
|1<ref name="European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing_2015" />
|-
|''[[Candida krusei]]''
|1<ref name="European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing_2015" />
|-
|''[[Candida lusitaniae]]''
|Intrinsically resistant<ref name="Hamill_2013"/>
|-
|''[[Cryptococcus neoformans]]''
|2<ref name="antibiotics.toku-e.com">{{cite web|title = Index {{!}} The Antimicrobial Index Knowledgebase - TOKU-E|url = http://antibiotics.toku-e.com/|website = antibiotics.toku-e.com|access-date = 2015-11-17|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151109121502/http://antibiotics.toku-e.com/|archive-date = 2015-11-09}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Fusarium oxysporum]]''
|2<ref name="antibiotics.toku-e.com" />
|}