Non-lipophilic mycobiota of human skin

Katarzyna Talaga,Paweł Krzyściak

doi:10.5586/am.1068

Abstract

The human skin is inhabited by many species of bacteria and fungi, which are its natural microbiota. Fungi colonizing the skin, including those causing disease, characterized by great variety and variability, can be influenced by various factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the composition of the non-lipid-dependent fungal microbiota of skin, including the presence of species potentially pathogenic for humans. Fifty-six volunteers of both sexes aged 22–78 were subjected to the study. Swabs were taken from the face, chest, back and interdigital spaces of hands. Mycobiota isolated proved to vary both in terms of the location of occurrence and gender of patients. Interdigital spaces of hands, dominated by yeasts, constitute a location on human skin most contaminated with fungi. Molds were more often isolated from the face and chest. The back was the least contaminated location. There was no difference in fungal incidence in relation to sex.

Highlights

The human skin is inhabited by many species of bacteria and fungi, which are its natural microbiota
72 (22.6%) positive cultures were obtained from 223 swabs (36 strains of yeast-like fungi and 30 of molds; 10 cultures showed mixed mycobiota – yeasts and molds)
There are no effective methods to assess the actual presence of fungi on the skin. Culture methods have their limitations associated with the lack of providing all essential conditions for growth for each species of mycobiota in vitro

Summary

Introduction

The human skin is inhabited by many species of bacteria and fungi, which are its natural microbiota. Through competition, they do not allow pathogenic species to colonize the skin [1,2]. Mycobiota of skin is dominated mainly by lipophilic fungi of the genus Malassezia. Other species of yeast, mainly of the genus Candida and Cryptococcus, may exist on the skin. Species composition of skin mycobiota is characterized by great diversity and variability, which can be influenced by various factors such as age, occupation, and the climate of the place of residence [3,4,5]

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