The response of tinea capitis to treatment with a two-week oral terbinafine

Dermatophytosis is a superficial infection caused by a group of closely related fungi, Dermatophytes. Trichophyton and Microsporum species are only Dermatophytes with the capacity of invasion to hair (tinea capitis). Terbinafine, one of the anti-dermatophytosis drugs which is recommended for the treatment of this infection for a period of 2 to 6 weeks depends on the sensitivity and severity of the infection. The best duration of therapy is not clear yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the response of tinea capitis to treatment with a two-week oral terbinafine regimen. We tested 29 clinical isolates of dermatophytes using both direct smear (%10 KOH solutions) and culture (saburow and dextrose agar medium). Nine cases were Microsporum and twenty cases were Trichophytons. Patients were treated with oral terbinafine for two weeks and then tested clinically by the same method three times during 2.5 months for detection of the fungi. SPSS software and Fisher-test were used for data analysis. At the end of treatment period, direct Smear showed that 7 cases of ectotria and culture was negative for 20 (100%) cases of Trichophytons and positive for 9 (100%) cases of Microsporums. A two-week oral terbinafine regimen is recommended for treatment of Trichophyton infections but not for Microsporum infections.