n
A fungal infection of the skin caused by Malassezia furfur and characterized by finely desquamating pale tan patches on the upper trunk and upper arms.
| Dental Dictionary: tinea versicolor |
A fungal infection of the skin caused by Malassezia furfur and characterized by finely desquamating pale tan patches on the upper trunk and upper arms.
| 5min Related Video: Tinea versicolor |
| Medical Dictionary: tinea ver·si·col·or |
| Wikipedia: Tinea versicolor |
| Tinea versicolor | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-10 | B36.0 |
| ICD-9 | 111.0 |
| DiseasesDB | 10071 |
| MedlinePlus | 001465 |
| eMedicine | derm/423 |
| MeSH | D014010 |
Tinea versicolor, pityriasis versicolor or haole rot[1] is a common skin infection that was widely believed to be caused by the yeast Malassezia furfur[2] (formerly termed Pityrosporum ovale). Recent research has shown that the majority of pityriasis versicolor is caused by Malassezia globosa, although M. furfur is responsible for a small number of cases.[3][4] These yeasts are normally found on the human skin and only become troublesome under certain circumstances, such as a warm and humid environment, although the exact conditions that cause initiation of the disease process are poorly understood.[5][6]
The condition pityriasis versicolor was first identified in 1846.[7]
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The symptoms of this condition include:
These spots commonly affect the back, underarm, upper arm, chest, lower legs, and neck. Occasionally it can also be present on the face. The yeasts can often be seen under the microscope within the lesions and typically have a so called "spaghetti and meat ball appearance"[8] as the round yeasts produce filaments.
In people with dark skin tones, pigmentary changes such as hypopigmentation (loss of color) are common, while in those with lighter skin color, hyperpigmentation (increase in skin color) are more common. These discolorations have led to the term "sun fungus".[9]
Tinea versicolor is a common condition. It is estimated that 2 to 8% of the population of the United States has it. This skin disease commonly affects adolescents and young adults, especially in warm and humid climates. It is thought that the yeast feeds on skin oils (lipids) as well as dead skin cells. How tinea versicolor became so prevalent in the United States, although debated, is commonly believed to have come from the Amazon River in Brazil. Peter Elam, an American Engineer developing clean water in poor villages, contracted the disease and upon returning to the United States spread the disease because of his close involvement with developing communities in the United States. As a result, tinea versicolor is also known as Peter Elam's disease.[10] Infections are more common in people who have seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff, and hyperhidrosis.[11]
fugus yellow, brown and green colors can be seen on skin under ultraviolet light (blacklight)
Treatments for tinea versicolor include:
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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![]() | Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Read more | |
![]() | Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Tinea versicolor". Read more |
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