Malassezia sympodialis

Colonies on Sabouraud dextrose agar are cream to yellowish, smooth and glistening with entire margins [1270]. This species is lipid-dependent requiring olive oil for growth. Optimum growth occurs at 35°C. Colonies on mDixon agar are glistening, smooth, flat with a slight central elevation and a soft texture [927].

Yeast cells are ovoid to globose measuring 1.5-2.5 x 2.5-6.0 µm. Wet preparations reveal yeast cells with daughter cells being produced from a base equal to the width of the daughter cell and possessing distinct collarettes. Although single budding predominates, sympodial budding may be observed [1270].

This isolate has been isolated exclusively from man [932] and is recognized as the most common Malassezia spp. being recovered from both healthy and diseased skin. Its role in causing disease is largely unknown since it has been isolated in the presence of other Malassezia spp.[924]. It may be differentiated from M. furfur by its inability to grow on glucose/peptone agar with 10% Tween 20 and from M. slooffiae, by its ability to grow on glucose/peptone agar with 0.1% Tween 80.

Susceptibility testing according to NCCLS/CLSI Document M27-A2 is not possible due to the oleic acid requirement of this species.

PubMed

GenBank

References

924. Gueho, E., T. Boekhout, H. R. Ashbee, J. Guillot, A. Van Belkum, and J. Faergemann. 1998. The role of Malassezia species in the ecology of human skin and as pathogens. Med Mycol. 36:220-229.

927. Gueho, E., G. Midgley, and J. Guillot. 1996. The genus Malassezia with description of four new species. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 69:337-355.

932. Guillot, J., and E. Gueho. 1995. The diversity of Malassezia yeasts confirmed by rRNA sequence and nuclear DNA comparisons. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 67:297-314.

1270. Kurtzman, C. P., and J. W. Fell (ed.). 2000. The Yeasts. A Taxonomic Study. Elsevier Scientific B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands.