Giusiano Gustavo E
Catedra de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Micología, Instituto de Medicina Regional, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Av. Las Heras 727, 3500 Resistencia, Chaco, Argentina.
Rev Argent Microbiol. 2006 Jan-Mar;38(1):41-8.
The study of Malassezia has been postponed for many years due to its nutritional requirements and its morphological variability. Molecular biology methods led to a taxonomic revision of this genus and to a new interest for its clinical importance. Nowadays, 11 Malassezia species are known, 10 are lipophilic, having similar morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, therefore, conventional techniques are not useful to differentiating them. Molecular methods are an accurate tool in the identification and they lead to a better knowledge of the ecology and epidemiology of this genus. Noteworthy antifungal susceptibility variations have been observed in some species, although there is not a standard method for these yeasts. There are few data about their biochemical characteristics, and the enzymes they produce might be important virulence factors, favouring host tissue invasion. Malassezia has been recognised as a member of the normal human and animal skin. Its implication in pathologic processes, including skin diseases to systemic infections, is the main issue in current investigations in order to determine the real pathogenic role of these yeasts.
由于马拉色菌的营养需求及其形态变异性，对其研究已推迟多年。分子生物学方法导致了该属的分类学修订，并引发了对其临床重要性的新关注。如今，已知有11种马拉色菌，其中10种是亲脂性的，具有相似的形态、生理和生化特征，因此，传统技术对区分它们并无用处。分子方法是鉴定中的一种准确工具，能使人们更好地了解该属的生态学和流行病学。尽管对于这些酵母菌尚无标准方法，但在某些菌种中已观察到值得注意的抗真菌药敏性差异。关于它们生化特性的数据很少，并且它们产生的酶可能是重要的毒力因子，有利于侵袭宿主组织。马拉色菌已被认为是人和动物正常皮肤的一部分。其在病理过程中的作用，包括从皮肤病到全身感染，是当前研究的主要问题，目的是确定这些酵母菌的真正致病作用。
