32 Prevalence of Pityrosporum.pmd

1Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq. 2Department of Community Medicine, Saddam Medical College, Saddam University, Baghdad, Iraq (Correspondence to W. A. Al-Kubaisy: [email protected]). 3Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq. Received: 13/09/01; accepted: 07/04/04 ABSTRACT To determine the age incidence and prevalence of Pityrosporum orbiculare on the normal skin of healthy Iraqi children, we carried out a survey of clinically normal skin of 110 healthy children in Baghdad during April 1998–October 1998. We isolated P. orbiculare on a peptone–glucose–yeast extract medium containing chloramphenicol and cycloheximide, and overlaid with olive oil. The organism was present on the trunk in 77.5% of children 10–14 years, 27.5% of children 5–9 years, and 6.6% of children < 5 years.