MALASSEZIA FURFUR AS PATHOGEN AND IN CULTURE: A REVIEW

Abstract

SCIENTIFIC INTEREST IN MALASSEZIA AND IN PITYRIASIS VERSICOLOR REVIVED WITH THE OBSERVATION THAT PATIENTS WITH CUSHING'S DISEASE AND OTHER INNATE OR INDUCED DISTURBANCES IN STEROID METABOLISM WERE MORE SUSCEP TIBLE TO THIS CUTANEOUS INFECTION. SUCCESFUL CULTIVATION OF THE SPHERI CAL YEAST FORM MALASSEZIA, ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, AND MORE SENSITIVE IM MUNOLOGIC TECHNIQUES FOR THE STUDY OF PATIENTS, LESIONS, AND CULTURES, HAVE SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE PATHOGENICITY OF THIS NOT-SO-HARMLESS FUNGUS WHOSE METABOLIC PRODUCTS, AS PREDICTED IN 1947, HAVE NOW BEEN SHOWN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SOMETIMES PERMANENT DEPIGMENTATION, AND FOR ELICI TING CELLULAR AND HUMORAL IMMUNE DEFENSES IN THE PATIENTS