Curriculum · ENT, Ophthalmology, and Dermatology
Terbinafine monitoring
What it is
Terbinafine is the antifungal that runs through the dermatophyte infections. It is used topically on the skin and by mouth for the nail and for the scalp. On the skin, and in dermatophyte infection of the nail, it is named first-line. For the scalp it is not put first: it stands as one of two oral antifungals, side by side with griseofulvin, and it is placed under additional treatment rather than under first-line treatment. The infection it treats, tinea or dermatophytosis, is a superficial fungal infection caused by dermatophytes: Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton. Its types are named by site, so that tinea corporis is body, tinea capitis is scalp, tinea cruris is groin, tinea pedis is feet, and tinea unguium is nails.
Causes and risk
Tinea sits in moist areas such as the feet, the groin and the scalp, and on shared surfaces such as showers and gyms. Transmission is person-to-person, from animals, and from contaminated surfaces. In tinea capitis the spread is by direct contact with animals, humans and fomites.