Echinocandins
A class of antifungal drugs that work by disrupting fungal cell walls, commonly used to treat serious yeast infections like those caused by Candida auris.
A group of antifungal medications that inhibit the synthesis of β-glucan, a critical structural component of fungal cell walls. Echinocandins are typically administered intravenously and are considered first-line treatments for invasive candidiasis and other serious fungal infections. They have a broad spectrum of activity against many Candida species and some other fungi.
What this means in real life
A hospital patient with a weakened immune system develops a bloodstream infection from Candida fungus; doctors administer an echinocandin antibiotic to kill the fungus by breaking down its protective cell wall.
What it isn’t
These are not antibiotics that kill bacteria—they specifically target fungi. They also do not work against all fungal infections; some molds and yeasts remain resistant to them.
Commonly misused online
People sometimes treat echinocandins as a cure-all for any fungal problem, when in fact they are reserved for serious systemic infections and are not typically used for common skin or nail fungal infections.