Also known as: tinea versicolor, tinea flava, dermatomycosis furfuracea, chromophytosis

Clinical Features:

• Caused by the yeast Malassezia furfur and sometimes other species of Malassezia
• Most common in tropical zones; in temperate zones most common in the summer
• Small scaly macules, most often on the upper body, enlarge and become either hypo- or hyperpigmented.

Histologic Feature:

• Hyperkeratosis
• Slight acanthosis
• Spotty pigmentation of the basal layer
• Superficial perivascular mononuclear infiltrate
• On fungal stains, the organisms, seen as spores and short hyphae (described as having a "spaghetti and meatballs" appearance) are visible within the stratum corneum.

Cases associated with this book:

Pityriasis versicolor
Author: Stephen Lyle, M.D., Ph.D.

Conference: DermatopathologyConsultations.com Teaching Collection