[Onychomycosis due to Malassezia.].

The records of fifty patients presenting Malassezia spp. associated onychomycosis were compiled from two different mycology laboratories from Medellín, Colombia. Malassezia spp. was isolated by culture as the only etiological agent in 32% of the cases and associated to a yeast of the genus Candida in 30% of the cases. In 22% of the cases although Malassezia spp. was observed by direct examination, it was no isolated but others species were obtained. No etiological agent was isolated by culture in 16% of the cases. We found evidence of the Malassezia spp.- Candida relationship in 48% of the cases by either direct examination or by culture isolation. The level of detection of Malassezia spp. by culture isolation was of 62% as compared to the direct examination. Results showed similar patterns of distribution of epidemilogical factors for both entities: onychomycosis by Candida albicans and onychomycosis by Malassezia spp.