The management of Candida infections in preterm neonates and the role of micafungin

The burden of neonatal invasive Candida infection (ICI) has been increasing recently and identification of effective preventative and treatment strategies is a priority. In this view, the echinocandin class of antifungal agents has emerged as a suitable and promising option for treatment. These agents have overall characteristics that suitably meet the needs of neonatal patients, such as coverage against biofilms and against fluconazole-resistant strains of Candida spp, which is an issue in an epoch of increasing prophylactic use of fluconazole in the nursery. Micafungin is the only echinocandin authorized for neonatal use by the EMA, based on efficacy and PK data from neonatal populations. Although the kinetics and appropriate dosing of this agent in premature and term infants have been described in the recent years, through either neonatal studies or extrapolation form adult data, further studies are needed to better address this area. These studies should be properly designed for neonatal populations, and must better address long-term safety and the clinical outcomes related to echinocandin use in neonates.