Amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine: effects on cell-mediated immunity.

Although single-dose amphotericin B therapy appears to be immunostimulatory in mice, no data are available regarding the effects of chronic anti-fungal drug therapy on the immune system. We studied the effects on the guinea-pig cellular immune system of 4 weeks of treatment with amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, or the combination of both drugs. The in vitro lymphocyte response to phytohaemagglutinin and the specific antigen, picryl human serum albumin (picHSA), were not affected by anti-fungal drug treatment. At 1.5 weeks of therapy with amphotericin B, skin test reactivity to picHSA was significantly reduced but returned toward normal by the end of 3.5 weeks of drug therapy. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor production by guinea-pig peripheral blood lymphocytes was significantly reduced after 4 weeks of amphotericin B therapy. No immunostimulatory properties could be ascribed to amphotericin B. 5-fluorocytosine had no effect on cellular immunity.