BACKGROUND: Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is a recurrent, chronic infection of the stratum corneum due to Malassezia furfur that is generally asymptomatic and has the potential of leading to fungemia. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is characterized by a severe cellular depression, which facilitates the occurrence of opportunist infections. OBJECTIVES: Given the immunodepression caused by HIV and risk this entails for the presence of the pathogenic form of M. furfur, this work sought the real differences in PV affecting immunocompetent hosts compared to immunocompromised HIV-patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From July 1998 to June 1999, 50 HIV-positive outpatients from the Teaching Hospital were studied. The control group comprised of 50 HIV-negative patients. The protocol for each patient included identification, clinical and laboratory examination. RESULTS: PV was clinically diagnosed in the HIV-positive group in 7 (14%) patients, with the same number in the control group. As for prior history, 12 (24%) patients in the HIV-positive group reported having previously presented PV, the same incidence was found in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: PV was neither more frequent nor more severe in the HIV-immunocompromised group compared to the control group, whereas seborrheic dermatitis was more frequent in the former.
Malassezia; pityriasis; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; tinea versicolor
