Efficacy of posaconazole and amphotericin B in experimental invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in dexamethasone immunosuppressed rats

Objectives: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is associated with high mortality. To assess new antifungal therapy options, animal models have to be developed to assess, in an appropriate setting, the activity of new drugs. Methods: Male albino CD rats (125–150 g) were fed with a protein-free diet and received dexamethasone thrice weekly subcutaneously during the whole experiment. After 2 weeks, an inoculum of 10 6 conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus (H11-20) was injected intratracheally. Antifungal treatment was initiated and continued for a total of 7 days. Animals were grouped in numbers of 10. One group of animals served as untreated control, whereas the others were treated with amphotericin…