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　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Kara Rogers Kara Rogers is the senior editor of biomedical sciences at Encyclopædia Britannica, where she oversees a range of content from medicine and genetics to microorganisms. She joined Britannica in 2006 and... Kara Rogers Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jan 2, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What types of fungi does ketoconazole target? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Ketoconazole primarily targets yeasts such as Candida and dermatophytes such as Trichophyton and Microsporum. It also is effective against some dimorphic fungi and molds, including Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How does ketoconazole work against fungi? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Ketoconazole disrupts the synthesis of ergosterol, which is an essential component of the fungal cell membrane. A lack of ergosterol weakens the membrane and renders it dysfunctional, ultimately leading to fungal cell death." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are the uses of topical ketoconazole? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Topical ketoconazole is used to treat athleteu2019s foot, ringworm, seborrheic dermatitis, and other fungal skin infections. Oral ketoconazole may be used to treat severe systemic infections, such as blastomycosis and histoplasmosis, though it generally is used as a last resort in these cases because of its potential to cause fatal liver damage." } } ] } Top Questions What types of fungi does ketoconazole target? Ketoconazole primarily targets yeasts such as Candida and dermatophytes such as Trichophyton and Microsporum. It also is effective against some dimorphic fungi and molds, including Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis.

　　How does ketoconazole work against fungi? Ketoconazole disrupts the synthesis of ergosterol, which is an essential component of the fungal cell membrane. A lack of ergosterol weakens the membrane and renders it dysfunctional, ultimately leading to fungal cell death.

　　What are the uses of topical ketoconazole? Topical ketoconazole is used to treat athlete’s foot, ringworm, seborrheic dermatitis, and other fungal skin infections. Oral ketoconazole may be used to treat severe systemic infections, such as blastomycosis and histoplasmosis, though it generally is used as a last resort in these cases because of its potential to cause fatal liver damage.

　　ketoconazole, antifungal drug used to treat skin and bodily infections caused by various types of fungi. Ketoconazole mainly targets yeasts, such as Candida, which infect the skin, and dermatophytes, such as species of Trichophyton and Microsporum, which infect keratinized tissues, such as skin, hair, and nails. However, the drug also works against certain dimorphic fungi and molds, including Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis, which can cause serious systemic infections. Ketoconazole is classified as an imidazole antifungal, owing to its five-membered heterocyclic ring structure containing two nitrogen atoms. Imidazole compounds disrupt the synthesis of ergosterol, which is an essential component of ...(100 of 562 words)

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