Direct molecular identification of Malassezia species from skin scales of patients with seborrheic dermatitis by nested terminal fragment length polymorphism analysis

ABSTRACT

Background: Malassezia yeasts are associated with several dermatological disorders. The conventional identification of Malassezia species by phenotypic conventional methods is complicated and time-consuming, and the results based on culture methods are difficult to interpret. This study aimed to perform a DNA-based procedure [nested terminal fragment length polymorphism analysis [tFLP]] directly applicable to pathological skin scales for the identification of seven Malassezia species. This technique involves nested PCR of the intergenic transcribed spacer [ITS] ITS I and ITS II region ribosomal gene clusters. All known Malassezia species can be differentiated by unique ITS fragment lengths