Part 1: Understanding the role of Malassezia spp. in skin disorders: Malassezia yeasts as commensal or pathogenic organisms of human and animal skin

• Published in: Expert review of anti-infective therapy Vol. 21; no. 12; p. 1327
• Main Authors: Ugochukwu, Iniobong Chukwuebuka Ikenna, Rhimi, Wafa, Chebil, Wissal, Rizzo, Antonio, Tempesta, Maria, Giusiano, Gustavo, Tábora, Raul Fernando Mejía, Otranto, Domenico, Cafarchia, Claudia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 02.12.2023
• Subjects: Animals; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Dermatitis, Seborrheic - drug therapy; Dermatitis, Seborrheic - microbiology; Dermatomycoses - drug therapy; Dermatomycoses - microbiology; Humans; Lipids; Malassezia; Skin - microbiology; Skin - pathology; Tinea Versicolor - drug therapy; Tinea Versicolor - microbiology; Tinea Versicolor - pathology; Atopic dermatitis; Malassezia folliculitis; skin disorders; Antifungal resistance; seborrheic dermatitis; Malassezia spp; pityriasis versicolor
• ISSN: 1744-8336
• DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2023.2276367

spp. are a group of lipid-dependent basidiomycetes yeasts acting as commensal organisms of the human and animal skin. However, under some not well-defined circumstances, these yeasts may switch to opportunistic pathogens triggering a number of skin disorders with different clinical presentations. The genus comprises of 18 lipid-dependent species with a variable distribution in the hosts and pathologies thus suggesting a host- and microbe-specific interactions. This review highlighted and discussed the most recent literature regarding the genus as a commensal or pathogenic organisms highlighting a-associated skin disorders in humans and animals and their antifungal susceptibility profile. A literature search of associated skin disorders was performed via PubMed and Google scholar (up to May 2023), using the different keywords mainly associated with skin disorders and Malassezia antifungal resistance. yeasts are part of the skin mycobiota and their life cycle is strictly associated with the environment in which they live. The biochemical, physiological, or immunological condition of the host skin selects spp. or genotypes able to survive in a specific environment by changing their metabolisms, thus producing virulence factors or metabolites which can cause skin disorders with different clinical presentations.