From the Guidelines
Nystatin treatment for fungal infections typically lasts 7-14 days, as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 1. The duration of treatment may vary depending on the severity of the infection and the patient's response to therapy. For mild disease, treatment with nystatin suspension at a concentration of 100,000 U/mL and a dosage of 4–6 mL 4 times daily, or 1–2 nystatin pastilles (200,000 U each) administered 4 times daily for 7–14 days is recommended 1. It's essential to continue treatment for at least 48 hours after symptoms resolve to prevent recurrence. The most recent guidelines from 2016 also support the use of nystatin for vulvovaginal candidiasis, particularly for infections caused by non-albicans species or in patients who are not responsive to azole therapy 1. In these cases, nystatin intravaginal suppositories may be used as an alternative treatment option. Overall, the treatment duration and regimen should be individualized based on the patient's specific needs and the severity of the infection, with the goal of achieving complete eradication of the infection and preventing recurrence. Key points to consider when treating fungal infections with nystatin include:
- Treatment duration: 7-14 days
- Dosage: 100,000 U/mL, 4-6 mL 4 times daily, or 1-2 pastilles (200,000 U each) 4 times daily
- Importance of completing the full treatment course, even if symptoms improve quickly
- Need to address underlying causes of recurrent infections, such as immunosuppression or diabetes.
From the FDA Drug Label
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ... Continue treatment for at least 48 hours after perioral symptoms have disappeared and cultures demonstrate eradication of Candida albicans. The typical duration of Nystatin treatment is at least 48 hours after symptoms have disappeared and cultures demonstrate eradication of Candida albicans 2.
- The treatment duration may vary depending on the individual patient's response to the medication.
- It is essential to follow the treatment regimen as directed by a healthcare professional.
From the Research
Nystatin Treatment Duration
The typical duration of Nystatin treatment varies depending on the condition being treated.
- For recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, treatment with vaginal nystatin suppositories for 14 days each month has been studied 3.
- For oral candidiasis, nystatin suspension treatment for 7-10 days has been compared to other antifungal therapies 4, 5.
- In the treatment of candidal vaginitis, a 1-week treatment with vaginal tablets only (nystatin or clotrimazole) or with both vaginal and oral tablets (nystatin) has been evaluated 6.
- In the prevention of fungal infections in neutropenic patients, oral nystatin plus miconazole inhalations have been used as a prophylactic treatment, with the duration of treatment not explicitly stated 7.
Specific Treatment Durations
- A study comparing fluconazole and nystatin oral suspensions for treatment of oral candidiasis in infants used nystatin oral suspension four times a day for 10 days 5.
- Another study used fluconazole suspension 3 mg/kg in a single daily dose for 7 days 5.
- A study on the therapy of candidal vaginitis used nystatin for 1 week 6.