title: Colonization of neonate skin by Malassezia species: relationship with neonatal cephalic pustulosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colonization of neonate skin by Malassezia species and their causative role in neonatal cephalic pustulosis is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the skin colonization by Malassezia in healthy newborns, and to investigate its association with neonatal cephalic pustulosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples for Malassezia colonization were taken from cheeks and scalps of 104 neonates between 24 and 72 hours after birth, and again 2 or 4 weeks later. Pustules were sampled with concomitant nonlesional skin cultures if neonatal cephalic pustulosis was diagnosed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Malassezia colonization increased significantly with age of the neonate (5% at the first week, 30% at 2-4 weeks). In all, 26 patients were given the diagnosis of neonatal cephalic pustulosis during follow-up. No correlation was found between the severity of the disease and Malassezia isolation. Skin colonization of patients with neonatal cephalic pustulosis (20.8%) was not higher than colonization of healthy newborns (37%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Not all of the neonates were examined by the authors at the second visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malassezia colonization increases after the first week of life. No correlation was found between neonatal cephalic pustulosis and Malassezia.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Meltem
authors: M
authors: Ayhan
authors: Banu
authors: B
authors: Sancak
authors: Ayşen
authors: A
authors: Karaduman
authors: Sevtap
authors: S
authors: Arikan
authors: Sedef
authors: S
authors: Sahin
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000382:microbiology; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000382:microbiology*; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D008290:Malassezia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*