Prevalence of Malassezia species associated with seborrheic dermatitis lesions in patients in Argentina

Background: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is considered the second most frequently dermatosis associated with the genus Malassezia but little is the knowledge about the epidemiology of this association. Aims: To determinate the prevalence of Malassezia species associated with SD and to analyse their distribution according to the location of the lesion on the body. Methods: This study was performed in Resistencia city, located in a subtropical area in northeast Argentina. In this study, 226 skin samples from patients with lesions compatible with SD were studied. Age, gender and body sites lesion were recorded. Strains were identified by PCR-RFLP. Results: One hundred and thirty-one positive cultures were obtained. Association of 2 species was detected in 10 cases; therefore, 141 strains were isolated. Malasezzia globosa (43.3%) was the most frequent species isolated, followed by Malasezzia furfur (20.6%), Malasezzia sympodialis (17%) and Malasezzia restricta (16.3%). Three isolates of Malasezzia slooffiae (2.1%) and one of Malasezzia pachydermatis (0.7%) were obtained. Statistical significance (P<0.05) was found between M. globosa and scalp. Malasezzia restricta was isolated only in head areas. Conclusions: This study suggests M. globosa is the most related species to SD. The prevalence of other species is different from that reported by other authors. Only M. globosa and M. restricta presented a pattern of relationship with the body sites of the lesions. It is noteworthy is the isolation of the zoophylic species M. pachydermatis. The Malassezia genus ecology and the pathogenic role of its species are still under study. This work is a contribution to this knowledge. (C) 2012 Revista Iberoamericana de Micologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.