title: Characterization of Malassezia microbiota in the human external auditory canal and on the sole of the foot.
abstract: Of the fungal skin microbiota, the lipophilic yeast genus Malassezia predominates at all body sites. Of the members of this genus, M. globosa, M. restricta, and M. sympodialis are the most common on the face, limbs, and trunk. In the present study, the Malassezia microbiotas in the external auditory canal and on the sole of the foot were characterized. M. slooffiae was the most common species in both the external auditory canal and on the sole of the foot, followed by M. restricta. Principal component analysis further revealed that the Malassezia microbiota in the external auditory canal and on the sole of the foot constitute a different cluster from those on the scalp and cheek and in the nasal cavity. Additionally, five new Malassezia phylotypes were detected on the sole of the foot and in the external auditory canal. Our results suggest that a distinctive Malassezia microbiota is present in the external auditory canal and on the sole of the foot, although the clinical significance of this finding remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku, Japan.
authors.forename: Enshi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tsuboi
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Makimura
authors.forename: Akemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044822:Biodiversity; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000382:microbiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008290:Malassezia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal