title: Topical and systemic antifungals in dermatology practice.
abstract: Dermatophytosis is generally defined as an infection of the hair, nails, or glabrous skin. These infections are caused by the keratinophilic fungi Trichophyton spp., Microsporum spp., and Epidermophyton, which have been recovered from both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Although dermatophytosis is generally not a life-threatening condition, these types of infections are among the most common infections worldwide, and their incidence has continued to increase consistently in recent years. Area covered: This article provides an overview of the general characteristics of dermatophytes, including their taxonomy and epidemiology, as well as the different clinical forms and laboratory diagnostics of dermatophytosis. We further classify the topical and systemic antifungal compounds currently used to treat dermatophyte infections. Expert commentary: Antifungal therapy is a central component of patient management for dermatophytosis, and depending on the strategy chosen, topical and/or systemic drugs can be used. However, for effective treatment, it is important to correctly determine the causal agents at the species level, which will enable administration of suitable therapeutics and initiation of appropriate management strategies.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine , Başkent University Adana Hospital , Adana , Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durdu
authors.affiliation: b Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine , University of Çukurova , Adana , Turkey.
authors.forename: Macit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ilkit
authors.affiliation: c Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Specialized Veterinary Sciences , Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU) , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Yalda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamadon
authors.affiliation: d Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , University of Tehran , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tolooe
authors.affiliation: e Department of Biochemistry , Erasmus University Medical Center , the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Haleh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafati
authors.affiliation: f Department of Medical Microbiology , Radboud University Medical Center , Nijmegen , the Netherlands.|g Invasive Fungi Research Center , Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences , Sari , Iran.
authors.forename: Seyedmojtaba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seyedmousavi
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
keywords: Antifungals; Epidermophyton; Microsporum spp; Trichophyton spp; dermatophytosis; tinea