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Anti-fungal drug 'could treat asthma'
30 Dec 2008
Clinical Research
An anti-fungal medication already available from pharmacists could be used to treat severe asthma, research has found.
Scientists at the University of Manchester discovered that over 60 per cent of patients who suffered allergic reactions to fungi showed significant improvement in their symptoms after taking itraconazole for over eight months.
"This pioneering study indicates that fungal allergy is important in some patients with severe asthma, and that oral antifungal therapy is worth trying in some difficult-to-treat patients," said the university's Dr Robert Niven.
Researchers believe that the drug could be used to treat up to 150,000 adults with severe asthma in the UK.
The study analysed 58 patients at the University Hospital of South Manchester, Salford Royal, Royal Preston and North Manchester General hospitals.
Earlier this month, scientists at the University of Manchester found that the herpes simplex virus could be a significant factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
