title: Molecular Identification of Malassezia Species in Patients with Malassezia folliculitis in Sfax, Tunisia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Malassezia folliculitis is caused by the invasion of hair follicles by large numbers of Malassezia cells. Several Malassezia researches still use cultures, morphology and biochemical techniques. The aim of this study was to identify Malassezia species isolated from patients diagnosed with folliculitis, at the Parasitology and Mycology Laboratory of Sfax University Hospital, and to explore the genetic diversity of Malassezia by using PCR-RFLP and PCR-sequencing targeting the rDNA region of the Malassezia genome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens were taken from 27 patients with Malassezia folliculitis. For the molecular identification, PCR amplification of the 26S rDNAD1/D2 region was carried out using the Malup and Maldown primers and three restriction enzymes (BanI, MspI and HeaII) for RFLP analysis. The nucleotide sequences of each isolate were compared to those in the NCBI GenBank by using BLASTIN algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three species of Malassezia yeasts were identified among the 31 Malassezia strains isolated: M. globosa (83.9%), M. sympodialis (12. 9%) and M. furfur (3.2%). The sequence analysis of M. globosa showed six genotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high genotypic variability of M. globosa colonizing patients with folliculitis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Parasite and Fungy, Medical Institute, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia. fatima_cheikhrouhou@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheikhrouhou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Parasite and Fungy, Medical Institute, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guidara
authors.affiliation: Dermatology and Venerology Department, Hedi Chaker Hospital of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masmoudi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Parasite and Fungy, Medical Institute, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Trabelsi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Parasite and Fungy, Medical Institute, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neji
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Parasite and Fungy, Medical Institute, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sellami
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Parasite and Fungy, Medical Institute, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Makni
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Parasite and Fungy, Medical Institute, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayadi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008290:Malassezia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014416:Tunisia; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; C065096:RNA, ribosomal, 26S
keywords: Genotype; Malassezia folliculitis; PCR-RFLP