title: Clinicomycological profile of pityriasis versicolor in Assam.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Geographical variation in the distribution of Malassezia species associated with pityriasis versicolor (PV) has led to the necessity of studying epidemiological, mycological, and clinical characteristics of PV.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the epidemiological, mycological, and clinical characteristics of PV in a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out with a cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and sixty-two consecutive PV patients were subjected to detailed history, clinical examination, and investigations. Skin scrapings were processed by direct microscopy and culture. Isolates were identified by phenotypic characteristics and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Association of Malassezia species with clinical and epidemiological characteristics was studied. Statistical analysis of the data was done using statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maximum number of PV cases (33.9%) belonged to the age group of 21-30 years with a male preponderance. 61.4% of the patients had a sedentary lifestyle, 70.2% showed the gradual onset of the disease, 51.1% presented with pruritus and in 66.4% of the patients symptoms were continuous. Most commonly involved body site was neck (27.8%), 77.09% of the lesions were bilaterally asymmetrical, 87.4% were macular, and 89.3% were hypopigmented. Malassezia furfur (77.3%) was the predominant species. Sedentary lifestyle (61.4%) and increased sweating (48%) were the most commonly associated predisposing factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PV is more common in males. Distribution of Malassezia species varies significantly from those reported in other parts of India. M. furfur was the most common species responsible for PV in our region. Hence, further studies are required to evaluate the exact cause of this variation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Ajanta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Debajit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rabha
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Ramkrishna Seva Prathisthan, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Saveta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choraria
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Debeeka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hazarika
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Giasuddin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Naba Kumar
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Hazarika
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008290:Malassezia / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014010:Tinea Versicolor / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult