Malassezia furfur

Background

Malassezia furfur is a fungus that lives on the superficial layers of the epidermis. It generally exists as a commensal organism forming a natural part of the human skin microbiota, but it can gain pathogenic capabilities when morphing from a yeast to a hyphal form during its life cycle, through unknown molecular changes. This can lead to its uncontrolled proliferation and a subsequent imbalance of the residential skin flora. Some virulence factors or properties which may increase the fungus' ability to acquire an infectious nature include the formation of biofilms, increased adherence to surfaces, and hydrophobicity and also can form hyphae (long, cylindrical filaments)

Infections with pathogenic M. furfur occur on the trunk or the limbs and present clinically as pigmented macules that can merge in the form of scaling plaques. Many of these lesions resolve spontaneously in most patients. The pathogen most frequently affects children compared to people of other age groups. It has been associated with numerous dermatological conditions, including seborrhoeic dermatitis, dandruff, pityriasis versicolor, and tinea circinata, all of which affect the skin. Some other diseases can also arise due to an infection with the fungus, such as catheter-related fungemia and pneumonia in patients receiving hematopoietic cell transplants.