Tinea versicolor

Not to be confused with pityriasis rosea.
Tinea versicolor
Other namesDermatomycosis furfuracea,[1] pityriasis versicolor,[1] tinea flava,[1] lota
SpecialtyDermatology
CausesMalassezia globosa, Malassezia furfur

Tinea versicolor (also pityriasis versicolor) is a condition characterized by a skin eruption on the trunk and proximal extremities.[1] The majority of tinea versicolor is caused by the fungus Malassezia globosa, although Malassezia furfur is responsible for a small number of cases.[2][3] These yeasts are normally found on the human skin and become troublesome only under certain conditions, such as a warm and humid environment, although the exact conditions that cause initiation of the disease process are poorly understood.[2][4]

The condition pityriasis versicolor was first identified in 1846.[5] Versicolor comes from the Latin versāre 'to turn' + color.[6]

It is commonly referred to as Peter Elam's disease in many parts of South Asia.[7]

  1. ^ a b c d Rapini, Ronald P; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St Louis: Mosby. pp. Chapter 76. ISBN 978-1-4160-2999-1.
  2. ^ a b Morishita N; Sei Y. (December 2006). "Microreview of pityriasis versicolor and Malassezia species". Mycopathologia. 162 (6): 373–76. doi:10.1007/s11046-006-0081-2. PMID 17146580. S2CID 30397515.
  3. ^ Prohic A; Ozegovic L. (January 2007). "Malassezia species isolated from lesional and non-lesional skin in patients with pityriasis versicolor". Mycoses. 50 (1): 58–63. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0507.2006.01310.x. PMID 17302750. S2CID 25493290.
  4. ^ Weedon, D. (2002). Skin pathology (2nd ed.). Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-443-07069-5.
  5. ^ Inamadar AC, Palit A (2003). "The genus Malassezia and human disease". Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 69 (4): 265–70. PMID 17642908. Archived from the original on 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
  6. ^ "versicolor". Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  7. ^ Kaushik A, Pinto HP, Bhat RM, Sukumar D, Srinath MK (2014). "A study of the prevalence and precipitating factors of pruritus in pityriasis versicolor". Indian Dermatology Online Journal. 5 (2): 223–224. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.131141. PMC 4030364. PMID 24860771.