TREATMENT OF TINEA-CAPITIS - SHOULD TERBINAFINE REPLACE GRISEOFULVIN

For the past four decades, griseofulvin has been the treatment of choi ce for children with tinea capitis infection. However, the recent expe rience with several new antimycotic agents in onychomycosis has sparke d interest in tinea capitis therapy. Terbinafine is effective in tinea capitis and can be given for only 1 to 4 weeks to most children with this common infection. The drug is well tolerated, and adverse events generally do not require discontinuation of therapy. The fact that ter binafine is fungicidal against dermatophyte fungi might account for th e short courses of therapy, which should increase patient compliance a nd decrease recurrence and transmission of infection.