role of distribution of malasezia furfur serovars, propionibacteria and micrococcaceae in the pathogenesis of tinea versicolor and seborrhoeic dermatitis

This study was designed to compare the distribution of M. Furfur serovars [A, B and C], Propionibacteria and Micrococcaceae on the chest, face, back and scalp of 40 patients with tinea versicolor [TV] and ten matched controls and 40 patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis [SD] and ten matched controls. The patients and controls were sampled from the mentioned sites and cultured aerobically for Micrococcaceae and M. furfur and anaerobically for Propionibacteria. Serotyping of M. Furfur was carried out to identify the three serovars A, B and C. There was no difference in either the Micrococcaceae or Propionibacteria results in patients groups compared with control skin. Regarding the results of M. furfur, serovar A predominated in the back lesions in both patients groups when compared with the control. Serovar A was also predominant in the face lesions but only in seborrhoeic dermatitis patients, serovar C predominated in all sites [in both patient groups] and serovar B predominated in all lesions of TV patients and in the back, face and neck in SD patients