This is an "old-fashioned" book in the best sense of the term: It is written by one man, and it is scholarly, complete, thorough, and thoughtful. It is, in fact, a magnum opus wherein every aspect is not only touched, but handled to perfec tion. This is a treatise that deserves careful reading by that increasing cadre of medical specialists who understand the many ways in which mycoses threaten human health and happiness, viz, the veterinarian, pharmaceutical chemist, general practitioner, pharmacologist, and entire consortium of researchers who study the biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of fungus infec tions. Mycoses encompass a vast spectrum of diseases from trivial superficial skin infections (tinea versicolor), troublesome ringworm infections (the tineas of skin, hair, and nails), yeast infections (candidosis), the systemic mycosis (cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis), and even the deep-seated infections due to molds and saprophytic fungi (aspergillosis). It is precisely because of the great variety of causative organisms that the imidazoles deserve a special treatise. They provide the first class of drugs with therapeutic activity against all the important fungi which infect humans and animals. Accordingly, their medical significance is great and the possibilities endless. Morever, the imidazoles are the first effective drugs whose antimicro bial activities extend beyond the usual designation of "broad-spectrum. " Broad-spectrum antibiotics, for example, are either antifungal or antibacterial, not both as the imidazoles are. To be sure, there have been other chemothera peutic compounds which inhibit bacteria and fungi.

1 Introduction

1.1 Antimicrobial Therapy
1.2 Microbial Diseases of the Skin and Mucous Membranes
1.3 Antimicrobial Drugs for Local Application
2 Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobials for Local Application
2.1 Preliminary Remarks
2.2 Disinf ectants and Antiseptics
2.3 Antibiotics
2.4 Chemotherapeutic Agents
2.5 Imidazole Derivatives with Antimicrobial Action
3 Econazole
3.1 General
3.2 Chemical Structure
3.3 Physical Properties
3.4 Antimicrobial Spectrum
4 General Microbiology of Imidazole Derivatives for Local Application
4.1 Preliminary Remarks
4.2 Modeof Action
4.3 Resistance and Tolerance
4.4 Interactions with Other Compounds
4.5 Bioavailability Studies
5 Therapeutic Use of Imidazole Derivatives in Animals (Experimental Therapy)
5.1 Local Application
5.2 Systemic Application
6 General Pharmacology of the Imidazole Derivatives in Man and Animals
6.1 Pharmacologic Properties (Apart from Antimicrobial Action) ..
6.2 Absorption, Excretion, and Metabolism in Animals
6.3 Absorption, Excretion, and Metabolism in Man
6.4 Sensitization
6.5 Anaphylactoid Activity
7 Toxicology of the Imidazole Derivatives
7.1 Preliminary Remarks
7.2 SystemicToxicity
7.3 LocalToxicity
8 Clinical Pharmacology of Topical Antimicrobials with Special Regard to the Imidazole Derivatives
8.1 Preliminary Remarks
8.2 Physical Properties
8.3 SkinTolerance
8.4 Sensitization
8.5 Photosensitizing Reactions
8.6 Interactions with Substances on the Skin Surface
8.7 Penetration and Absorption
8.8 Systemic Administration
8.9 Use in Veterinary Mediane and the Food Industry
8.10 Special Clinical Pharmacologic Considerations in the Local Application of Antimicrobials
8.11 Clinical Pharmacology of the Preparation
9 Microbial Infections in Man
9.1 General
9.2 Increase in Microbial Infections of Body Surfaces
9.3 Saprophytes and Parasites on Body Surf aces
9.4 Mixed and Double Inf ections of Body Surf aces
10 Mycoses
10.1 Etiology of Mycoses
10.2 The Increase in Mycoses
10.3 Classification of Mycoses
10.4 Mycoses of the Skin and Mucous Membranes
10.5 Mycoses of the Female Genitalia
10.6 Systemic Mycoses
10.7 General Principles in the Treatment of Mycoses
11 Systemic Administration of Antimycotically Active Imidazole Derivatives in Man
12 Local Application of Antimycotically Active Imidazole Derivatives in Man
12.1 Application to the Outer Skin
12.2 Application to the Mucous Membranes
13 Combined Use of Imidazole Derivatives and Glucocortoids for the Local Treatment of Skin Diseases
13.1 Preliminary Remarks
13.2 Combination of Antibiotics with Glucocortoids
13.3 Salicylic Acid, Haloprogin, Clioquinol, Chlorquinaldol, and Triclosan
13.4 Imidazole Derivatives and Glucocortoids
13.5 Indications for the Combined Use of Imidazole Derivatives and Glucocorticoids
14 Assessment of Mycoses in Various Branches of Mediane
14.1 Dermatology
14.2 Gynecology
14.3 Pediatrics
14.4 Stomatology
14.5 Otolaryngology
14.6 Otorhinolaryngology
14.7 Proctology
14.8 Urology
14.9 Internal Mediane
14.10 Orthopedics
14.11 Surgery, Intensive Care, Anesthesiology
15 Concluding Remarks
16 References
17 Subject Index.