Treatment of Candida ventriculitis and septicaemia with 5-fluoro-cytosine. Combined peroral and intraventricular administration.

A 9-months old patient with a ventricular shunt due to hydrocephalus was treated with intraventricular administration of 5-FC due to Candida ventriculitis with satisfactory clinical response. The intraventricular dose given was 5 mg twice daily for 14 days. The same patient was treated four months later with combined peroral and intraventricular administration of 5-FC also with good clinical response. On both occasions there was no evidence of drug toxicity. The peroral dose given was 100 mg/kg bodyweight/day divided in four doses. A few CSF and serum samples were taken to estimate the concentration of 5-FC. The local installation of 5-FC in an isolated ventriculitis seems to be of special beneficial value whereas fungal septicaemia with ventriculitis needs combination of peroral and intraventricular administration. No increase in resistance against 5-FC could be registered.