The association of isoconazole-diflucortolone in the treatment of pediatric tinea corporis.

BACKGROUND

Tinea corporis is a common mycotic infection in children. Staphylococcus aureus superinfections may be observed in atopic children with tinea corporis suffering from severe pruritus and consequent scratching.

OBJECTIVE

From 2006 to 2011, we observed 288 children with mycologically proven tinea corporis. In 39 of them (13.5%) tinea corporis was superinfected by S. aureus: all these children were affected by atopic dermatitis. We interpreted these bacterial superinfections as the clinical result of scratching due to pruritus.

METHODS

In 2012, we decided to treat all children with a single lesion of tinea corporis with a combination of 1% isoconazole nitrate and 0.1% diflucortolone valerate cream (one application/day for 5-7 days), followed by a treatment with isoconazole or clotrimazole or ciclopirox cream (two applications/day for two weeks).

RESULTS

From 2012 to 2014, we observed 108 children with tinea corporis confirmed by mycological examinations. Clinical and mycological recovery was observed in 93 of them (86.1%). Only four of these children (3.7%) developed S. aureus superinfections.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study in atopic children with tinea corporis superinfected by S. aureus confirms that a topical therapy with the association isoconazole-diflucortolone is useful and safe.