A Study of Prevalence of Different Species of Malassezia Causing Pityriasis Versicolor and Sites of Distribution of Lesion in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kolkata, India

Pityriasis versicolor is a superficial skin infection caused by Malassezia yeasts and characterized by discrete or confluent, scaly, discoloured or depigmented areas, mainly on the upper trunk (Bigby and Casulo, 2008). The characteristic changes include hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis and a mild inflammatory infiltrate. They are discrete or concrescent and appear as discoloured or depigmented areas of the skin. Lesions tend to be discrete in the beginning, but may fuse to give a serpiginous border as they enlarge.