– Antifungal creams and combinations of treatments with corticosteroids are contributing to the spread of severe skin, scalp, and nail fungal infections.
– Drug-resistant fungal skin infections have been detected in at least 11 US states to date
– Overuse of antifungals can lead to potential pathogenic fungi finding ways to thwart the drug
– Primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, dermatologists, and podiatrists wrote the majority of the prescriptions in 2021
– The top 10% of prescribers prescribed nearly one-half of the dispensed medications, suggesting potential overuse or liberal prescribing
– Clotrimazole-betamethasone is a potential driver of emerging drug-resistant tinea, also known as dermatophytosi
– Diagnostic testing should be used to confirm suspected superficial fungi infections to control the emergence and spread.