Onychomycosis is more common in women of 20-40 years of age. Distolateral subungual onychomycosis and candidal onychomycosis are the most common clinical presentations, and Candida and T. rubrum are the major pathogens in Pakistan.
We report a randomized, double-blind study, comparing the relative efficacy and tolerability of oral terbinafine, given for 1, 2 or 4 weeks, in tinea capitis. Of 161 evaluable patients, 53 were treated with terbinafine for 1 week, 51 for 2 weeks and 57 for 4 weeks. Isolated pathogens included Trichophyton violaceum (71.5%), T. tonsurans (14.9%), T. verrucosum (4.3%), Microsporum audouinii (4.3%), M. canis (2.5%), T. schoenleinii (1.9%) and T. mentagrophytes (0.6%). The final evaluation, at 12 weeks, showed cure rates of 73.6, 80.4 and 85.9%, in the respective groups. The adverse effects noted, were not drug related. In our opinion, terbinafine given for 1, 2 or 4 weeks, is equally effective for most cases of tinea capitis.
T. violaceum is the predominant pathogen causing tinea capitis in children and adults in this part of the world and gives rise to a varied clinical picture. Our findings agree with data from other parts of Pakistan and many countries abroad.
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