[Effect of temperature and humidity on the frequency of pityriasis versicolor. Epidemiological study in the state of Falcón, Venezuela].

The survey covers 1546 people from three towns of Falcón, which present different climatological characteristics. The diagnostic of P.V. was confirmed through microscopic observation. It is demonstrated a notable increase of the frequency of P.V. during and after the puberty. Significative differences were found between the frequencies of P.V. in the semiarid zone (9%) and the sub-humid zone (12%). The lowest frequency (4%) corresponds to the temperate climate of La Sierra de Falcón. The study shows, for the first time, that a hot and humid climate favors the parasitism by Malassezia sp.