Unbound MEDLINE

Tinea capitis: diagnostic criteria and treatment options. Dermatology nursing / Dermatology Nurses' Association [Dermatol Nurs] Journal article

 
Meadows-Oliver M 
Tinea capitis: diagnostic criteria and treatment options. [Journal Article]
Dermatol Nurs 2009 Sep-Oct; 21(5):281-6.


Tinea capitis is a fungal infection involving the hair shaft of the scalp. It is commonly referred to as ringworm and occurs primarily in children. Treatment with a systemic anti-fingal rather than topical treatment is required. Currently, two medications, griseofulvin (Grifulvin) and terbinafine (Lamisil Granules), are FDA-approved to treat tinea capitis. Treatment with griseofulvin is usually 6 to 8 weeks, while treatment with terbinafine requires 6 weeks. There are other medications currently not FDA-approved to treat tinea capitis that have similar cure rates and shorter durations of treatment for tinea capitis, and as a result, are being used off-label. The research-based literature related to the treatment of tinea capitis with various pharmacologic agents is reviewed.



More from this journal
  
Advertise on this site.