Use of terbinafine 250 mg in the treatment of ectothrix ringworm: A case report

Tinea capitis is the term used for scalp infections caused by dermatophyte fungi. Tinea capitis is common in children and is less common in adults.

The case was a 9-year-old girl with itchy patches of alopecia on the. The patient had a cat as a pet. On examination, the patch of hair loss was itchy and the hair shaft was broken and scales were mild. In the examination with Wood's lamp and direct microscopic examination, the ectothrix infection was deagnised. According to the dermatologist's opinion, a terbinafine 50 mg was prescribed daily. However, no significant improvement was observed despite 4 weeks of terbinafine. As a result, the dose of terbinafine treatment was changed from 50 mg to 250 mg per day. After 6 weeks of treatment, the clinical manifestations of the patient improved significantly.

After ringworm is confirmed microscopically, choosing the most appropriate antifungal treatment depends on determining the fungal species by culture. Therefore, when choosing empiric antifungal agent therapy, a dose of 250 mg terbinafine may be a good choice for children.