Selenium sulfide: adjunctive therapy for tinea capitis

Selenium sulfide lotion used as a shampoo has been shown to be an effective adjunctive agent to griseofulvin in the treatment of tinea capitis. Of 16 children with Trichophyton tonsurans infections 15 had negative fungal cultures at two weeks following a regimen of daily oral griseofulvin and selenium sulfide shampooing twice weekly. All patients treated with griseofulvin alone or in combination with either a bland shampoo or topical clotrimazole had positive cultures not only at the two-week interval but also as long as eight weeks later. In vitro analysis shows selenium sulfide to be sporicidal, correlating well with the in vivo observations. It is postulated that selenium sulfide usage may lessen the chances for spreading of infectious spores to other individuals.