Treatment of fungal skin infections: state of the art.

The number of cases of mycotic infections are increasing, presenting physicians today with an unprecedented challenge in handling the treatment and prophylactic control of these disorders. The increase in mycotic disorders is due to many factors, such as longer life span, organ transplantation, and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The pharmaceutical industry is providing physicians with newer, more potent drugs to manage mycoses. An overview of current practice in the use of topical and oral agents, especially ketoconazole, are given in the following specific mycoses: tinea capitis, pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis, Trichophyton rubrum infections, vaginal candidiasis, and moist intertriginous tineas. The efficacy of ketoconazole in various vehicles and dosage schedules and of traditional agents such as griseofulvin are discussed with relation to each of the mycoses.