Molecular Analysis of Malassezia Load in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

作者：Onder Meltem; Kalkanci Ayse^*; Kevlekci Canan; Gurer Mehmet Ali; Sugita Takashi

来源：Turkderm-Archives of the Turkish Dermatology and Venerology, 2011, 45(4): 206-209.

DOI：10.4274/turkderm.60437

• Malassezia
• atopic dermatitis
• clinical severity
• real-time PCR
• quantitation

Background and Design: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial disease in which Malassezia species are also considered to be one of the factors that exacerbate AD. We have developed a culture-independent method for analyzing cutaneus Malassezia load in patients with atopic dermatitis.
Materials and Methods: The diversity of Malassezia flora in Turkish patients with atopic dermatitis of three different clinical severities (mild, moderate, and severe) were compared using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. Fourthy-seven individuals with AD and seventy-five adult healthy individuals were sampled in this study. Skin samples were collected by stripping the face and neck of each subject. Fungal DNA extraction was performed and the detection of Malassezia DNA by real-time PCR was conducted.
Results: Total number of patients was 122, including 47 patients and 72 healthy controls (62 female, 60 male). Quantitative analysis of Malassezia colonization in the AD group and healthy control group was not significantly different between the AD and healthy control groups. In patients with severe AD, Malassezia colonization was not different that in mild and moderate AD patients and healthy individuals, and the differences among them were not statisticaly significant (p=0.409).
Conclusion: We could not find any difference in our patient group in terms of Malassezia colonization rate, although we had hypothesized. We could not show a fungal factor for the severity of the disease in AD patients. Japanese authors showed such a kind of relationship in the past. Besides, skin diseases should be evaluated carefully for the presence of microorganisms as an important factor of pathogenesis of the disease. (Turkderm 2011; 45: 206-9)

• 出版日期2011-12