A 30-year-old woman presents with an inflamed, itchy, expanding cutaneous lesion on her side. She suspects she might have picked it up from her dog because it is where the dog sleeps next to her and the dog is losing fur. (The dog also needs to be treated by the vet.) You treat the woman with a topical drug from one of the major drug families commonly used to treat the infection. What is the mechanism of action of that drug class?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The infection is most likely tinea corporis transferred by direct contact from the dog to the human. The drug most likely to be used is a topical imidazole, which inhibits the synthesis of ergosterol needed for fungal membranes. The other drugs commonly used include terbinafine, for which the answer would be the same, or griseofulvin, which inhibits cell division by disrupting microtubules.

A 30-Year-Old Woman Presents with an Inflamed, Itchy, Expanding Cutaneous