Correlation of the density of yeast Malassezia with the clinical severity of seborrhoeic dermatitis.

OBJECTIVE To correlate the density of the yeast Malassezia with the clinical seventy of seborrhoeic dermatitis. METHOD Fifty patients and twenty control subjects were selected for the study. The patients were evaluated both clinically for the severity of seborrhoeic dermatitis and microscopically for the presence of the yeast Malassezia. RESULTS Out of 50 patients Malassezia was present in 41 patients (82%). On microscopic evaluation it was found that patients with mild seborrhoeic dermatiis had a density of 2+ (more than 5 but less than 10 yeast cells per high power field (hpf). Patients with moderate seborrhoeic dermatitis had a density of 3+ (more than 10 but less than 20 yeast cells per hpf) and patients with severe seborrhoeic dermatitis had a density of 4+ (more than 20 yeast cells per hpf). Of the 20 normal subjects only 8 (40%) had Malassezia and they had a density of 1+ (5 or fewer yeast cells per hpf). The results show a strong correlation of the yeast Malassezia to the severity of seborrhoeic dermatitis (p value < 0.05). CONCLUSION Malassezia increases in proportion with the severity of seborrhoeic dermatitis; an antifungal agent should therefore be used in the treatment of seborrhoeic dermatitis.