Abstract

Most common fungal infections of the skin respond to topical treatment but dermatophytosis (ringworm; tinea) is sometimes an exception; ringworm of the body or groin usually clears (e.g. with a topical azole) but dermatophyte infections of the nails, the hair and scalp, or of the soles and palms, generally need systemic therapy. This has traditionally been with griseofulvin but length of treatment, low rates of lasting cure and unwanted effects are drawbacks. Terbinafine (Lamisil – Sandoz) is a new systemic antifungal intended for the treatment of dermatophyte infections in adults. The manufacturer claims it achieves a high cure rate and low rate of relapse with only brief treatment periods. How useful is it?