Comparison of the efficacy of Fluconazole and Griseofulvin in Tinea Capitis

Background: Tinea capitis is a relatively common fungal infection in children. Although several oral anti-fungal agents have been used in the treatment of tinea capitis, griseofulvin has been considered as the treatment of choice for a long time. Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects of fluconazole with griseofulvin on tinea capitis. Patients and Methods: Through a randomized, single-blinded, clinical trial on 40 clinically suspected an mycologically confirmed tinea capitis cases, 19 cases received oral fluconazole for 4 weeks and 21 patients were treated with griseofulvin for 6 weeks. All patients were evaluated clinically and mycologically before receiving their treatment and 8 weeks after the beginning of treatment. Results: The age range of the patients was from 1 to 16 years. Thirty-two cases were males. Mycology studies indicated that the causative agents were trichophyton verrucosum in 16 cases, trichophyton violaceum in 16 cases and microporum canis in 8 cases. At the end of the eighth week of the beginning of treatment, 15 cases were cured in the fluconazole group compared with 16 cases in the griseofulvin group (P>0.05). Conclusion: It seems that griseofulvin could be still considered as the first choice drug in the treatment of tinea capitis and fluconazole could be used as an alternative drug.