The scalp is also the niche for the fungus Malassezia
furfur and the bacterium Staphylococcus.
Commonly isolated species in patients of PV are Malasseziaglobosa (66%), M
furfur (20%), M restricta (3%) and M sympodialis (3%)2.
There are a lot of theories explaining the cause of hypopigmentation in pityriasis versicolor, but the production of dicarboxylic acid, especially azelaic acid produced by Malassezia
furfur which inhibits tyrosinase is widely accepted.
It is probably due to the over-growth of the yeast malassezia
furfur and abnormalities of skin surface lipids.2,4
Stathopoulou et al., "AhR ligands, malassezin, and indolo[3,2-b]carbazole are selectively produced by Malassezia
furfur strains isolated from seborrheic dermatitis," Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol.
The prevailing theory of the past was that CARP was an abnormal host response to the fungus Malassezia
furfur. Inconsistent detection of the fungus in skin scrapings, as well as persistence of the skin lesions after fungal clearance with antifungal therapy, has debunked this theory.
Phospholipase activity in Malassezia
furfur pathogenic strains.
[10, 11] Extracellular phospholipase activities (Pzs) in Malassezia
furfur, M.
Bhargava, "Apis cerana bee venom: It's anti-diabetic and anti-dandruff activity against Malassezia
furfur," World Applied Sciences Journal, vol.