Malassezia and the Skin. Science and Clinical Practice

About this book

This book, written by a group of acknowledged experts, is the first comprehensive overview on the very unusual yeasts of the genus Malassezia. All relevant aspects of the genus and its 13 species are covered in detail within 11 chapters. The first chapter recalls reviews the long and controversial history of the genus, while the second describes all mycological characteristics of the different species, including media and techniques adapted to their isolation, description, and maintenance. Subsequent chapters methodically address issues such as the effect of Malassezia yeasts on human and animal health, and the current therapeutic approaches for Malassezia-induced or -exacerbated diseases. The last chapter provides a summary of data to be presented on a website that will be regularly updated, thus incorporating latest findings. Microbiologists, mycologists, dermatologists, and veterinarians will find this book a useful and up-to-date source of information.

Written for: Dermatologists and all doctors and scientists with a special interest in fungal diseases

Keywords:

Malassezia yeast
mycology
pathogenicity
skin infection

Table of contents

Historical and Current Taxonomy.- Phylogeny and Identification.- Epidemiology in Man and in Animals.- Physiology and Biochemistry: Nutritional Requirements, Cellular Envelope, Production of Filaments, Enzymatic Activities, Lipase, Lipoxygenase, Azelaic Acid, Gamma Lactone, Production of Pigments.- Melanin, Tryptophan-Derived Indole Pigments.- Host-Pathogen Interactions: Antigens in Malassezia spp. and their Characterization, Malassezia spp. and Immunity: Innate Immune Response (Complement System, Cellular Response and Cytokine Production, Interaction of Malassezia spp. with Cutaneous Cells), Adaptive Immune Response (Humoral Response, Cellular Response, Models for Malassezia-Associated Diseases).- Malassezia Yeasts in Human and Animal Disease: Pityriasis versicolor, Seborrhoic Eczema, Malassezia Folliculitis, Malassezia Sepsis, Atopic Eczema / Dermatitis Syndrome (AEDS), Psoriasis, Malassezia Yeasts as Pathogens in Animals, Human Animal Crosslinking.- Conclusion.