CORRELATION BETWEEN MALASSEZIA SPP. LOAD AND DANDRUFF SEVERITY

Background and objective: Dandruff and the commensal yeasts Malassezia spp. are often conceptually bound together. However, no consistent co rrelation was reported between yeast numbers on lesional skin and seve rity of the skin condition. The aim of the study was to compare the de nsity of Malassezia spp. with the clinical severity of dandruff before , during and after using a Ilo ketoconazole shampoo every other day. M ethod: Twenty men suffering from dandruff were enrolled in the open st udy. Clinical and laboratory assessments were made at entry and at com pletion of the 6-week ketoconazole treatment, as well as every third d ay during the 1-month post-treatment follow up. Dandruff were collecte d using clear self-adhesive discs. Living yeasts were revealed by the neutral red stain and their numerical density was evaluated by compute rized image analysis. Results: The marked inhibitory activity of ketoc onazole against the yeasts was accompanied by a significant decrease i n the clinical severity score of dandruff. During the post-treatment f ollow up, a significant power relationship was yielded between the dan druff clinical scores and the living yeast densities. Conclusions: The 1% ketoconazole shampoo formulation abates the density of the commens al Malassezia spp. on the scalp with dandruff. A correlation exists be tween yeast numbers on lesional skin and dandruff severity. Clinical r elapse may occur with the re-emergence of Malassezia spp.