Prevalence of pityriasis versicolor in a group of Italian pregnant women

BACKGROUND: Although a predisposing role of pregnancy to Malassezia infections is referred, data on the prevalence of pityriasis versicolor (PV) in pregnant women are not available in literature. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency of PV during pregnancy, 60 pregnant women were clinically and microscopically investigated during and after pregnancy. RESULTS: Fifty-two women completed all visits; three women were affected by PV at first or third trimester of pregnancy, and none at 6 months after delivery. Colonization due to Malassezia yeasts was very significantly (P < 0.01) or significantly increased (P < 0.05) at the third trimester and 6 months after delivery, respectively. No variation was observed between the end of pregnancy and the postpartum (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Frequency of PV during pregnancy (5.7%) does not seem different from that reported in general population living in temperate climates (2-5%). However, higher degree of colonization by Malassezia resulted at the end of pregnancy and postpartum.