Abstract

Raed Ali Hussain Shabaa

Malassezia fungi are part of the normal microflora, mostly in healthy subjects. These fungi are the cause of tinea versicolor, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, retinal papilloma disease and also associated with catheter infection, fungi and pulmonary infection in newborns, which sometimes can be life-threatening and has been reported as important causes of fungal infection in cancer patients and HIV positive individual. This study was conducted to detect Malassezia spp. in patients infected with pityriasis versicolor. Eighty-Five patients of pityriasis versicolor were included in this study. Samples were collected by scraping the patient's skin from the pityriasis versicolor suspected lesions, All the clinical samples were cultured and the positive growth plates were identified by morphological and biochemical methods. The results of this study showed that from the 85 skin scraping samples, 71 sample (83.52%) were identified positive pityriasis versicolor infection. The biochemical tests result for identification of Malassezia species which included catalase reaction, splitting of esculin and Tween assimilation test, showed that Malassezia globosa was the most frequent species among Malassezia isolates which found in 42 (59.15%) patients followed by Malassezia furfur in 22 (30.98%) patients, Malassezia restricta in 6 (8.45%) patients and Malassezia obtusa in 1(1.40%) patients. In conclusion Malassezia globosa was the main species causing pityriasis versicolor infections, followed by Malassezia furfur, Malassezia restricta and Malassezia obtusa. Because Malassezia species exhibit different responses to antifungal drugs, proper diagnoses of Malassezia spp. and antifungal drugs sensitivity tests can enhance the selection of the appropriate antifungal drug.