THE ROLE OF MALASSEZIA SPECIES IN THE ECOLOGY OF HUMAN SKIN AND AS PATHOGENS

The new taxonomic structure of the lipophilic genus Malassezia was pre sented with key characteristics for the seven described species. Among techniques used for epidemiological surveys, the pulsed field gel ele ctrophoresis (PFGE) was found to be of little value in contrast to ran domly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Immunological studies still yi elded conflicting results but at least the immunomodulatory capacity o f Malassezia yeasts appeared to be related to the cell wall lipids. A review of Malassezia infections together with the present consensus fo r their prevention and treatment was also made.