Malassezia (Pityrosporum) Folliculitis Follow-up

  • Author: Siobahn M Bower, MD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 23, 2012
 

Further Outpatient Care

  • Regular clinical follow-up may be necessary in Pityrosporum folliculitis (PF) to monitor the patient's condition and refill prescriptions.
Next

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Advise patients with Pityrosporum folliculitis to avoid predisposing factors such as emollients, occlusive topicals, occlusive nylon clothing, immunosuppressants, steroids, and antibiotics.
Previous
Next

Prognosis

  • The prognosis in Pityrosporum folliculitis is good.
  • With treatment, Pityrosporum folliculitis can completely resolve.
  • Without treatment, Pityrosporum folliculitis can be pruritic.
Previous
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Siobahn M Bower, MD  Internal Medicine Physician, Boys Town National Research Hospital

Siobahn M Bower, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Daniel J Hogan, MD  Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine (Dermatology), Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Investigator, Hill Top Research, Florida Research Center

Daniel J Hogan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Contact Dermatitis Society, and Canadian Dermatology Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Stephen H Mason  MD

Stephen H Mason is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Skin Cancer Foundation, and Women's Dermatologic Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Jean-Hilaire Saurat, MD  Chair, Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Jean-Hilaire Saurat, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lester F Libow, MD  Dermatopathologist, South Texas Dermatopathology Laboratory

Lester F Libow, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Glen H Crawford, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief, Division of Dermatology, The Pennsylvania Hospital

Glen H Crawford, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society of USAF Flight Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous Chief Editor, William D. James, MD, and previous author, Brittany J. Oswald, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

  1. Potter BS, Burgoon CF Jr, Johnson WC. Pityrosporum folliculitis. Report of seven cases and review of the Pityrosporum organism relative to cutaneous disease. Arch Dermatol. Mar 1973;107(3):388-91. [Medline].

  2. Levin NA. Beyond spaghetti and meatballs: skin diseases associated with the Malassezia yeasts. Dermatol Nurs. Jan-Feb 2009;21(1):7-13, 51; quiz 14. [Medline].

  3. Gaitanis G, Magiatis P, Hantschke M, Bassukas ID, Velegraki A. The malassezia genus in skin and systemic diseases. Clin Microbiol Rev. Jan 2012;25(1):106-41. [Medline].

  4. Akaza N, Akamatsu H, Sasaki Y, et al. Malassezia folliculitis is caused by cutaneous resident Malassezia species. Med Mycol. 2009;47(6):618-24. [Medline].

  5. Jacinto-Jamora S, Tamesis J, Katigbak ML. Pityrosporum folliculitis in the Philippines: diagnosis, prevalence, and management. J Am Acad Dermatol. May 1991;24(5 Pt 1):693-6. [Medline].

  6. Bulmer GS, Pu XM, Yi LX. Malassezia folliculitis in China. Mycopathologia. Jun 2008;165(6):411-2. [Medline].

  7. Gupta AK, Batra R, Bluhm R, Boekhout T, Dawson TL Jr. Skin diseases associated with Malassezia species. J Am Acad Dermatol. Nov 2004;51(5):785-98. [Medline].

  8. Back O, Faergemann J, Hornqvist R. Pityrosporum folliculitis: a common disease of the young and middle-aged. J Am Acad Dermatol. Jan 1985;12(1 Pt 1):56-61. [Medline].

  9. Archer-Dubon C, Icaza-Chivez ME, Orozco-Topete R, Reyes E, Baez-Martinez R, Ponce de Leon S. An epidemic outbreak of Malassezia folliculitis in three adult patients in an intensive care unit: a previously unrecognized nosocomial infection. Int J Dermatol. Jun 1999;38(6):453-6. [Medline].

  10. Levy A, Feuilhade de Chauvin M, Dubertret L, Morel P, Flageul B. [Malassezia folliculitis: characteristics and therapeutic response in 26 patients]. Ann Dermatol Venereol. Nov 2007;134(11):823-8. [Medline].

  11. Aytimur D, Sengöz V. Malassezia folliculitis on the scalp of a 12-year-old healthy child. J Dermatol. Nov 2004;31(11):936-8. [Medline].

  12. Ayers K, Sweeney SM, Wiss K. Pityrosporum folliculitis: diagnosis and management in 6 female adolescents with acne vulgaris. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. Jan 2005;159(1):64-7. [Medline].

  13. Helm KF, Lookingbill DP. Pityrosporum folliculitis and severe pruritus in two patients with Hodgkin's disease. Arch Dermatol. Mar 1993;129(3):380-1. [Medline].

  14. Cholongitas E, Pipili C, Ioannidou D. Malassezia folliculitis presented as acneiform eruption after cetuximab administration. J Drugs Dermatol. Mar 2009;8(3):274-5. [Medline].

  15. Alves EV, Martins JE, Ribeiro EB, Sotto MN. Pityrosporum folliculitis: renal transplantation case report. J Dermatol. Jan 2000;27(1):49-51. [Medline].

  16. Bufill JA, Lum LG, Caya JG, et al. Pityrosporum folliculitis after bone marrow transplantation. Clinical observations in five patients. Ann Intern Med. Apr 1988;108(4):560-3. [Medline].

  17. Blaes AH, Cavert WP, Morrison VA. Malassezia: is it a pulmonary pathogen in the stem cell transplant population?. Transpl Infect Dis. Aug 2009;11(4):313-7. [Medline].

  18. Nasir A, El Bahesh E, Whitten C, Lawson A, Udall JN Jr. Pityrosporum folliculitis in a Crohn's disease patient receiving infliximab. Inflamm Bowel Dis. Jan 2010;16(1):7-8. [Medline].

  19. Heymann WR, Wolf DJ. Malassezia (Pityrosporon) folliculitis occurring during pregnancy. Int J Dermatol. Jan-Feb 1986;25(1):49-51. [Medline].

  20. Parlak AH, Boran C, Topcuoglu MA. Pityrosporum folliculitis during pregnancy: a possible cause of pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy. J Am Acad Dermatol. Mar 2005;52(3 Pt 1):528-9. [Medline].

  21. Kavanagh GM, Leeming JP, Marshman GM, Reynolds NJ, Burton JL. Folliculitis in Down's syndrome. Br J Dermatol. Dec 1993;129(6):696-9. [Medline].

  22. Klotz SA, Drutz DJ, Huppert M, Johnson JE. Pityrosporum folliculitis. Its potential for confusion with skin lesions of systemic candidiasis. Arch Intern Med. Nov 1982;142(12):2126-9. [Medline].

  23. Yu HJ, Lee SK, Son SJ, Kim YS, Yang HY, Kim JH. Steroid acne vs. Pityrosporum folliculitis: the incidence of Pityrosporum ovale and the effect of antifungal drugs in steroid acne. Int J Dermatol. Oct 1998;37(10):772-7. [Medline].

  24. Shibata N, Saitoh T, Tadokoro Y, Okawa Y. The cell wall galactomannan antigen from Malassezia furfur and Malassezia pachydermatis contains beta-1,6-linked linear galactofuranosyl residues and its detection has diagnostic potential. Microbiology. Oct 2009;155:3420-9. [Medline].

  25. Faergemann J, Bergbrant IM, Dohse M, Scott A, Westgate G. Seborrhoeic dermatitis and Pityrosporum (Malassezia) folliculitis: characterization of inflammatory cells and mediators in the skin by immunohistochemistry. Br J Dermatol. Mar 2001;144(3):549-56. [Medline].

  26. Elmets CA. Management of common superficial fungal infections in patients with AIDS. J Am Acad Dermatol. Sep 1994;31(3 Pt 2):S60-3. [Medline].

  27. Ferrandiz C, Ribera M, Barranco JC, Clotet B, Lorenzo JC. Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Int J Dermatol. Mar 1992;31(3):193-5. [Medline].

  28. Hill MK, Goodfield JD, Rodgers FG, Crowley JL, Saihan EM. Skin surface electron microscopy in Pityrosporum folliculitis. The role of follicular occlusion in disease and the response to oral ketoconazole. Arch Dermatol. Feb 1990;126(2):181-4. [Medline].

  29. Ford GP, Ive FA, Midgley G. Pityrosporum folliculitis and ketoconazole. Br J Dermatol. Dec 1982;107(6):691-5. [Medline].

  30. Friedman SJ. Pityrosporum folliculitis: treatment with isotretinoin. J Am Acad Dermatol. Mar 1987;16(3 Pt 1):632-3. [Medline].

  31. Goodfield MJ, Saihan EM. Failure of isotretinoin therapy in Pityrosporum folliculitis. J Am Acad Dermatol. Jan 1988;18(1 Pt 1):143-4. [Medline].

  32. Abdel-Razek M, Fadaly G, Abdel-Raheim M, al-Morsy F. Pityrosporum (Malassezia) folliculitis in Saudi Arabia--diagnosis and therapeutic trials. Clin Exp Dermatol. Sep 1995;20(5):406-9. [Medline].

  33. Assaf RR, Weil ML. The superficial mycoses. Dermatol Clin. Jan 1996;14(1):57-67. [Medline].

  34. Bergbrant IM, Johansson S, Robbins D, Scheynius A, Faergemann J, Soderström T. An immunological study in patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis. Clin Exp Dermatol. Sep 1991;16(5):331-8. [Medline].

  35. Donnarumma G, Paoletti I, Buommino E, Orlando M, Tufano MA, Baroni A. Malassezia furfur induces the expression of beta-defensin-2 in human keratinocytes in a protein kinase C-dependent manner. Arch Dermatol Res. Apr 2004;295(11):474-81. [Medline].

  36. Elewski B. Does pityrosporum ovale have a role in psoriasis?. Arch Dermatol. Aug 1990;126(8):1111-2. [Medline].

  37. Faergemann J. Current treatment of cutaneous Pityrosporum and Candida-infections. Acta Derm Venereol Suppl (Stockh). 1986;121:109-16. [Medline].

  38. Faergemann J. Pityrosporum infections. J Am Acad Dermatol. Sep 1994;31(3 Pt 2):S18-20. [Medline].

  39. Faergemann J. Pityrosporum ovale and skin diseases. Keio J Med. Sep 1993;42(3):91-4. [Medline].

  40. Faergemann J, Johansson S, Back O, Scheynius A. An immunologic and cultural study of Pityrosporum folliculitis. J Am Acad Dermatol. Mar 1986;14(3):429-33. [Medline].

  41. Faergemann J, Maibach HI. The Pityrosporon yeasts. Their role as pathogens. Int J Dermatol. Sep 1984;23(7):463-5. [Medline].

  42. Ford G. Pityrosporon folliculitis. Int J Dermatol. Jun 1984;23(5):320-1. [Medline].

  43. Geis PA. Epidemiology, etiology, clinical aspects, and diagnosis of tinea versicolor. Int J Dermatol. Jul 1999;38(7):558. [Medline].

  44. Goodfield MJ, Saihan EM, Crowley J. Experimental folliculitis with Pityrosporum orbiculare: the influence of host response. Acta Derm Venereol. 1987;67(5):445-7. [Medline].

  45. Hanna JM, Johnson WT, Wyre HW Jr. Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis occurring with granuloma annulare and alopecia areata. Arch Dermatol. Oct 1983;119(10):869-71. [Medline].

  46. Heid E, Grosshans E, Provencher D, Basset M. [Pityrosporum folliculitis (author's transl)]. Ann Dermatol Venereol. Feb 1978;105(2):133-8. [Medline].

  47. Jillson OF. Pityrosporum folliculitis. Cutis. Mar 1985;35(3):226-7. [Medline].

  48. Lim KB, Boey LP, Khatijah M. Gram's-stained microscopy in the etiological diagnosis of Malassezia (Pityrosporon) folliculitis. Arch Dermatol. Apr 1988;124(4):492. [Medline].

  49. Ljubojevic S, Skerlev M, Lipozencic J, Basta-Juzbasic A. The role of Malassezia furfur in dermatology. Clin Dermatol. Mar-Apr 2002;20(2):179-82. [Medline].

  50. Longley BJ. Fungal diseases. In: Elder D, Elenitas R, Jaworsky C, Johnson B, eds. Lever's Histopathology of the Skin. 8th ed. 1997:522.

  51. Schmidt A. Malassezia furfur: a fungus belonging to the physiological skin flora and its relevance in skin disorders. Cutis. Jan 1997;59(1):21-4. [Medline].

  52. Sina B, Kauffman CL, Samorodin CS. Intrafollicular mucin deposits in Pityrosporum folliculitis. J Am Acad Dermatol. May 1995;32(5 Pt 1):807-9. [Medline].

 
Previous
Next
 
 
 
 
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2012 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

DISCLAIMER: The content of this Website is not influenced by sponsors. The site is designed primarily for use by qualified physicians and other medical professionals. The information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only. In no way should it be considered as offering medical advice. Please check with a physician if you suspect you are ill.