Features of topical therapy of skin and hair mycosis caused by <i>Microsporum</i> genus fungi: Results of clinical observations

Abstract

The article summarizes the long-term experience of observing the dynamics of pathological process of tinea corporis caused by Microsporum spp. in children and adults treated at the initial stage with combined topical steroids and without them. The duration of treatment increases by 1.52 times when combined topical steroids are used, while with other mycoses caused by fungi of the genera Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, this does not occur. This can be explained, apparently, by the peculiarities of sporulation of fungi of the genus Microsporum spp.: most dermatomycetes at the time of penetration into the epidermis and dermis rely on the germination of mycelium, and only in fungi of the genus Microsporum spp. at the time of invasion, sporulation activity does not decrease. As a result, the fungus is able to simultaneously infect the epidermis and hair.
 Most modern therapeutic programs for the external treatment of microsporia include iodine preparation and an antimycotic in the form of a cream or ointment. These drugs do not suppress the macrophage reaction in the lesion, and with the onset of treatment, sporulation decreases sharply. When using a topical combination drug containing an antimycotic and combined topical steroids, the fungus continues to actively sporulate, as a result of which the process in the epidermis stops, and the spores that have penetrated into the hair remain viable.