Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Feb;88(2):85-7.

Identification of Malassezia species from Tunisian patients with pityriasis versicolor

Sonia Trabelsi  1 , Jézia Oueslati, Nadia Fekih, Mohamed Ridha Kammoun, Samira Khaled
Affiliations
  • PMID: 20415164
Free article

Identification of Malassezia species from Tunisian patients with pityriasis versicolor

Sonia Trabelsi et al. Tunis Med. 2010 Feb.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Pityriasis versicolor is caused by Malassezia sp. It is a common worldwide mycosis. Recently, eleven species are known of the Malassezia genus, and are identified in vitro by their morphological characteristics, biochemical tests and by molecular biology. The aim of this study is the identification of Malassezia species from Tunisian patients with pityriasis versicolor.

Methods: Specimens were taken from 58 patients with pityriasis versicolor. All samples were both inoculated in Sabouraud dextrose agar and Sabouraud agar overlaid with olive oil. Malassezia species were identified by morphological and physiological methods: macroscopy, microscopy, catalase, urease and lipid assimilation tests.

Results: We have isolated five Malassezia species: Malassezia globosa being isolated in 76.2% of patients, followed by Malassezia furfur (9.55%), Malassezia sympodialis (4.75%), Malassezia slooffiae (4.75%) and Malassezia pachydermaties (4.75%).

Conclusion: In our study Malassezia globosa presents the main species implicated in the pathogenicity of pityriasis versicolor and Malassezia furfur as the second agent of importance.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources