MALASSEZIA-FURFUR IN INFANTILE SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS

Malassezia furfur is important in the pathogenesis of a number of derm atologic diseases including seborrheic dermatitis in adults, It has al so recently been suggested that M. furfur might be the etiologic agent in infantile seborrheic dermatitis (ISD). We studied the presence of M, furfur in 21 children with the clinical diagnosis of infantile sebo rrheic dermatitis. Laboratory analyses showed aberrant patterns of ess ential fatty acids (EFA) in serum characterized by elevated levels of 18:1w9 and 20:2w6, Samples for M, furfur were taken from the foreheads and chests of children with infantile seborrheic dermatitis at the ti me of diagnosis, directly after treatment to complete healing, and aft er 1 year with no signs of infantile seborrheic dermatitis. All the pa tients were treated topically with borage oil containing 25% gammalino lenic acid (GLA). No reduced growth of M. furfur was seen on contact p lates prepared with borage oil, The growth of M. furfur seems not to b e related to the clinical symptoms in ISD.