title: Identification of Malassezia species isolated from patients with extensive forms of pityriasis versicolor in Siena, Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is an infection caused by various species of Malassezia yeast. There is no agreement in the literature concerning the species of Malassezia and the demographic, clinical, and mycological data.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively identify Malassezia species isolated from lesions of patients with extensive, long standing and recurrent forms of PV and to estimate the relationship between Malassezia species and the demographic and clinical data of the patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with PV were enrolled over a four-year period. Malassezia species were isolated in cultures and identified by morphological features and physiological tests. In the last 2 years a PCR-based technique was used to confirm the species' identification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 74 patients (43 males and 31 females, mean age 39.5 years) were enrolled. Only one species was isolated in 45 patients, and more than one species were identified in the remaining 28 patients (38%). M. globosa was the most frequently isolated (60.3%) species. There was a significant association between the isolation of 2 or more species and the presence of at least one predisposing factor. In the last 29 cases, which were subjected to PCR, there were no differences in the identification of isolated species as compared to traditional methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The isolation of more than one species in a single lesion is not infrequent in PV and is related to the presence of one predisposing factor. The isolated species isolated were not influenced by demographic and clinical features. The traditional and more recent (PCR) procedures gave the same results in the isolated species.
authors: Dermatology Section, Department of Clinical Medicine and Immunology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. Electronic address: romanoclara@unisi.it.
authors: Clara
authors: C
authors: Romano
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Mancianti
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Nardoni
authors: Gaetano
authors: G
authors: Ariti
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Caposciutti
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Fimiani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006728:Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008290:Malassezia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013045:Species Specificity; D014010:Tinea Versicolor / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D006728:Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: Malassezia; PCR-RFLP; Pitiriasis versicolor; Pityriasis versicolor; Reacción en cadena de la polimerasa RFLP