Terbanafine effective against Tinea capitis due to Trichophyton tonsurans

Results

• The mean age was 20.1 years (±3.1), with men (98.2%) outnumbering women.
• The follow-up lasted 12.2 months (±5.6).
• The occipital area (87.6%) was the major scalp area where T. tonsurans tinea capitis was seen.
• In 78.9% of the cases, the scalp manifestation was non-inflammatory with scaly plaques and papules seen in 76.1% and seborrhoea-like manifestations seen in 2.8%. 
• 21.1% of cases presented with inflammatory tinea capitis with 10.1% as Kerion and 11% as pustular forms. 
• Other than scalp areas were concomitantly involved. Tinea corporis was seen in 38.7% of the cases; tinea faciei and barbae in 24.3%; nape and anterior neck in 76.6% and 2.7% of the cases, respectively. 
• There was an 83.2% clinical cure rate with an adequate treatment course of oral terbinafine.
• Treatment failure was significantly associated with concomitant tinea corporis (odds ratio 3.9; 95% confidence interval 1.3–12.1, p-Value< .02). 

T. tonsurans tinea capitis included occipital scaly plaques and papules with concomitant non-scalp lesions and was effectively managed by Oral terbinafine but concomitant tinea corporis increased the risk for treatment failure. 

Further reading: Galili E, Goldsmith T, Khanimov I, et al. Tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton tonsurans among adults: Clinical characteristics and treatment response [published online ahead of print, 2022 Oct 11]. Mycoses. 2022;10.1111/myc.13536. doi:10.1111/myc.13536