Seborrhoeic Dermatitis: Treatment with Anti-Mycotic Agents

In order to elucidate the effectiveness of anti-mycotics in treating seborrhoeic dermatitis, an attempt was made to isolate Malassezia from seborrhoeic lesions of patients of seborrhoeic dermatitis. The results revealed that, in male patients, 46/49 cases were positive for Malassezia furfur on the face and 30/48 cases were positive for M. furfur on the scalp. In female patients, 7/13 cases were positive for M. furfur on the face, and 6/17 cases were positive for M. furfur on the scalp. Anti-mycotic agents were excellent in 50% and good in 31% of the spore-positive cases, yielding an overall efficacy rate of 81%. In contrast, the treatment of the face with vehicle alone showed only one excellent result out of 8 cases. Although clinical improvement was rapid on the side treated with a topical corticosteroid in the half-side-test, numerous fungal elements remained. While the improvement with anti-mycotic agents was slower than that with the corticosteroid, clinical improvement became evident by the third week of administration and fungal elements disappeared.     

Humoral immunity to Malassezia furfur serovars A, B and C in patients with pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis and controls

Abstract This study examined the humoral immune responses to Malassezia furfur serovars A, B and C of 10 patients with pityriasis versicolor, 10 patients with seborrheic dermatitis and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. A transferable solid-phase ELISA was used to determine titres of total Igs, IgM, IgA and IgG specific to M. furfur serovars A, B and C. The results demonstrated that patients with seborrheic dermatitis had a significantly higher litre of total Igs to serovar A than patients with pityriasis versicolor; and that patients with seborrheic dermatitis had a significantly higher litre of IgA to serovar C than patients with pityriasis versicolor. The litres of total Igs for controls and patienls with seborrheic dermatitis were significantly lower to serovar B than to serovar C. A modified TSP ELISA was used to determine the titres of the IgG subclasses. Titres of IgG _1,3,4 to serovar B were significantly higher in seborrheic dermatitis patients than pityriasis versicolor patients and litres of IgG₃, to serovar A were significantly higher in seborrheic dermatitis patients than pityriasis versicolor patients. However, despite the differences between the patient groups, none of these results was significantly different to those of controls. Thus, this study did not demonstrate any differences in humoral immunity of patients suffering from Malassezia-associated dermatoses when compared to normal controls. These results may suggest that the humoral immune response to M. furfur is not related to the pathogenesis of Malassezia-associated dermatoses, but simply to the carriage of M. furfur on the skin.     

舰船员慢性荨麻疹与马拉色菌相关性研究

目的研究舰船员慢性荨麻疹发病与马拉色菌的关系。方法对126例舰船员慢性荨麻疹患者及45例健康者进行真菌学比较研究。将马拉色菌阳性的82例慢性荨麻疹患者分为A、B两组,A组单用抗组胺药,B组用抗组胺药联合2%酮康唑洗剂治疗。结果舰船员慢性荨麻疹患者皮肤马拉色菌带菌率高于正常对照组(P<0.01),两治疗观察组于治疗结束时,疗效无显著性差异(P>0.05);治疗结束6~8周后,B组疗效高于A组,有显著性差异(P<0.01),且B组真菌学检查马拉色菌转阴率高于A组(P<0.01)。结论舰船员慢性荨麻疹与皮肤马拉色菌有一定相关性,联合抗真菌治疗能提高其远期疗效。     

Immediate hypersensitivity to Malassezia furfur and Candida albicans mannans in vivo and in vitro

BACKGROUND: Elevated and correlative Malassezia furfur (M. furfur) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) mannan-specific IgE have been demonstrated in atopic eczema dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) of the head, neck and shoulder (HNS) region of the skin. The significance of these antibodies in vivo has not been demonstrated. METHODS: Sixty-five AEDS patients with HNS distribution were included. Serum total IgE (S-IgE) and yeast antigen-specific (Cetavlon-purified mannan and whole extract antigens of M. furfur and C. albicans) IgE were measured and skin prick tests (SPT) were performed with the yeast antigens. RESULTS: Mannan-specific IgE and SPT were positive in 51 and 48% of patients with M. furfur and in 42 and 22% with C. albicans, respectively. Whole extract-specific IgE and SPT were positive in 85 and 95% of patients with M. furfur and in 91 and 57% with C. albicans, respectively. The highest correlation between specific IgE and SPT was seen with M. furfur mannan (r = 0.60; P < 0.0001). Both M. furfur mannan-specific IgE (r = 0.76; P < 0.0001) and SPT (r = 0.44; P = 0.0005) correlated with S-IgE. CONCLUSIONS: Mannan-induced immediate hypersensitivity in vivo was demonstrated in SPT. The significant correlation between M. furfur mannan-specific IgE and SPT suggests that mannan is an important allergen in yeast hypersensitive AEDS in vivo.     

诃子水提物对球形马拉色菌及其生物被膜的抑制作用

目的 探究诃子水提物（water extract of Terminalia chebula,TRW）对球形马拉色菌的体外抗菌活性及对生物被膜的抑制作用,并初步探讨其抗菌机制。方法 采用微量稀释法测定TRW对马拉色菌的体外抗菌活性;活菌计数法测定TRW对球形马拉色菌作用的时间-杀菌曲线。通过微板法构建球形马拉色菌生物被膜体外模型,用XTT法测定生物被膜代谢活性;采用活菌计数法和扫描电子显微镜分别检测TRW对球形马拉色菌生物被膜活菌量以及微观形态的影响。采用山梨糖醇保护实验、碘化丙啶（PI）染色分别测定TRW对球形马拉色菌细胞壁和细胞膜的作用影响。结果 TRW对7株马拉色菌的最低抑菌质量浓度为0.90～4.59 mg/mL,其中对TRW敏感性最强的是球形马拉色菌MC14。时间-杀菌曲线结果显示TRW对MC14整个生长周期均有抑制作用。球形马拉色菌MC14生物被膜的初黏附期、聚集期和成熟期分别为0～24 h、24～96 h和96～168 h。TRW可降低MC14各个阶段生物被膜的活菌量,作用效果由强到弱排列为聚集期>黏附期>成熟期;且对MC14各个阶段的生物被膜均有清除作用,可...     

脂溢性皮炎病因机制的研究进展

脂溢性皮炎是临床上常见的在皮脂溢出基础上发生的慢性、复发性、炎症性皮肤病,其确切发病机制至今不明。研究发现,脂溢性皮炎的发病与马拉色菌、脂质、免疫反应、皮肤屏障功能及个体易感性密切相关。以上因素的认识及研究,有助于脂溢性皮炎的预防及治疗。     

A randomized double-blind,non-inferiority Phase II trial,comparing dapaconazole tosylate 2% cream with ketoconazole 2% cream in the treatment of Pityriasis versicolor

Objectives: The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of a new antifungal imidazole, dapaconazole tosylate, in the treatment of Pityriasis versicolor (PV).

Design and methods: Sixty patients with clinical and mycological diagnosis of PV were randomly assigned to receive either 1 g dapaconazole tosylate 2% cream or 1 g ketoconazole 2% cream. Treatments were applied once a day for 28 days. A dermatologist evaluated efficacy and safety daily, and weekly laboratorial tests were performed. The primary end point was a clinical and mycological cure of lesions after 28 days of treatment. The secondary end point was the time to clinical healing assessed by Kaplan–Meier analysis and Log-rank testing.

Results: Fifty-three patients adhered to protocol rules. Clinical and mycological cure was achieved in 84.6% (22/26) and 92.6% (25/27) of patients treated with ketoconazole and dapaconazole, respectively (difference [effect size] = 8.0%, Standard error of difference: 8.69%, 95% CI: –6.3 to 22.3%). Median time to healing was 23.5 and 21 days for ketoconazole and dapaconazole, respectively (p = 0.126). Adverse events occurred only in ketoconazole-treated patients (13%; 4/30).

Conclusion: Dapaconazole tosylate is non-inferior to ketoconazole when used at a dose of 20 mg/day for 28 consecutive days for the treatment of PV. Dapaconazole also demonstrated a good safety profile.     

伊曲康唑胶囊治疗马拉色菌毛囊炎的临床疗效观察

目的分析探讨伊曲康唑配合使用复方酮康唑洗剂对马拉色菌毛囊炎的治疗效果。方法选取150例经真菌学检查被确诊为马拉色菌毛囊炎的患者为研究对象,随机将他们分为对照组和观察组,每组各75例患者。对照组使用2％复方酮康唑洗剂每天清洗3次,连续使用4周,对观察组患者则在对照组的基础上,同时服用伊曲康唑,200mg／d,每日一次,连服7d。结果观察组治疗总有效率为96％,对照组为72％,观察组治疗效果好于对照组。结论伊曲康唑配合使用复方酮康唑洗剂是治疗马拉色菌毛囊炎的有效手段,值得临床推广和应用。     

An update on pityrosporum folliculitis in Singapore from a single tertiary care dermatological centre

INTRODUCTIONPityrosporum folliculitis (PF) is a common skin condition that can be easily misdiagnosed, especially by non-dermatologists. While the initial diagnosis is often made clinically, skin microscopy may help to confirm the same. However, there is scant literature regarding the clinical epidemiology of PF. To our knowledge, in Singapore, only one prior epidemiological study was performed in 1987. Through the present study, we aimed to provide an update regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of patients with PF in Singapore.METHODSWe performed a retrospective review of patients with clinical presentations compatible with PF who presented to the dermatology clinic at the National University Hospital, Singapore, between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2015. The medical records of patients identified as having clinical presentations that resembled PF were reviewed via written and electronic databases. Information regarding the demographics and clinical presentation of the patients was collected.RESULTSOf the 375 patients identified, 214 (57.1%) were confirmed as having PF based on Gram-stain microscopy. Most (35.0%) of these 214 patients were aged between 21 and 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:1. The lesions predominantly occurred on the trunk and the back. The majority of patients presented with symptoms that lasted more than one month. 128 (59.8%) patients received oral antifungal treatment, whereas 82 (38.3%) patients were treated with topical antifungal treatment alone.CONCLUSIONA typical Singapore patient with PF is a young man aged 21–30 years, with erythematous follicular papules or pustules over the trunk and the back.