Tinea versicolor or more commonly known as white spots is caused by a fungus known as Malassezia furfur.

This fungus is present on the skin of most of the people but will only cause infection in some of them. This infection is common round the year in hot and humid climate. It occurs more often in older children and young adults.[10] The infection causes a rash which may appear on the back neck upper chest shoulders armpits and upper arms. The skin rash consists of peeling o!al patches with sharply defined borders and pimple"like bumps. The patches appear white or black on dark" skinned people and are usually pink or tan on the more fair"skinned. #ore often than not it does not cause itching unless the person is hot or sweaty. The patches may be more prominent after the skin has been e$posed to the sun because the patches do not tan [%igure 1].[11]
10. #arcon #& 'owell (). *pidemiology diagnosis and management of Malassezia furfur systemic infection. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 1+,-.-/1011-2. ['ub#ed] 11. 3a!in 4. (iagnosis and treatment of tinea !ersicolor. J Fam Pract. 1++0.56/17-167. ['ub#ed

Superficial fungal infections

These infections are common all o!er the world 8but specifically based on geographic distribution9 and are caused by fungi called dermatophytes which produce keratinase. This allows them to metaboli:e and li!e on human keratin i.e. on skin nails and hair. They cause inflammation superficially but cannot in!ade deeper into the dermis. The common superficial fungal infections caused by Tineaworm are body ring worm by Tinea corporis athlete;s foot by Tinea pedis etc.[5 2 , 10] 3uch infections are red itchy and scaly. The diagnosis and confirmation should be based on clinical obser!ations. The procedure which is followed is to scrape the lesion and obser!ed under the microscope and in case of <ood;s lamp 8=>9 colonies will fluoresce. )nother important superficial infection is cause by the yeast Malassezia furfur.[17] It does not e!en get into the keratin 1 more superficial than the dermatophytes. It digests the top layer of lipids and affects adolescents and adults to cause the superficial infection called Tinea versicolor 1 round hypo" and sometimes hyperpigmented patches. It ne!er penetrates into the skin but can especially nosocomially infect the blood by contaminating lipid I> solutions.
12. #endling < ?utschmidt & ?antenberg 4. @omparison of strain specificity of yeasts from !arious organs of women with !aginal candidiasis [in ?erman] M coses. 1++,.51/7612. ['ub#ed]

#alasse:ia furfur is a lipid"dependent yeast commnonly found on the skin of adolescents and adults and the causati!e agent of tinea !ersicolor a chronic superficial skin infection 8+9.

+. 4ippon &. <. 1+,7. #edical mycology"the pathogenic fungi and the pathogenic actinomycetes p. 150"152. The <. A. 3aunders @o. 'hiladelphia.

TUGAS INHAL PARASITOLOGI

MORFOLOGI DAN CARA IDENTIFIKASI MALASSEZIA FURFUR

DISUSUN OLE