Dandruff Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Dandruff, including details on treatment, prevention, remedies, causes, scalp health.

Fungal sex and pathogenesis.

Butler G

UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland. Geraldine.Butler@ucd.ie

Human fungal pathogens are associated with diseases ranging from dandruff and skin colonization to invasive bloodstream infections. The major human pathogens belong to the Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus clades, and infections have high and increasing morbidity and mortality. Many human fungal pathogens were originally assumed to be asexual. However, recent advances in genome sequencing, which revealed that many species have retained the genes required for the sexual machinery, have dramatically influenced our understanding of the biology of these organisms. Predictions of a rare or cryptic sexual cycle have been supported experimentally for some species. Here, I examine the evidence that human pathogens reproduce sexually. The evolution of the mating-type locus in ascomycetes (including Candida and Aspergillus species) and basidiomycetes (Malassezia and Cryptococcus) is discussed. I provide an overview of how sex is suppressed in different species and discuss the potential associations with pathogenesis.

Published 12 January 2010 in Clin Microbiol Rev, 23(1): 140-59.
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Articles on Dandruff published 4 December 2009:

Randomized study comparing the efficacy and tolerance of a lipohydroxy acid shampoo to a ciclopiroxolamine shampoo in the treatment of scalp seborrheic dermatitis.   J Cosmet Dermatol, 8(4): 249-53.

BACKGROUND: The success of a dandruff treatment depends not only on the ability of a shampoo to control dandruff, but also on patient compliance, which is closely linked to the cosmetic attributes of the product. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare efficacy, tolerance, and cosmetic properties of a LHA Shampoo [containing 0.1% lipohydroxy acid (LHA) and 1.3% salicylic acid] to a CPO shampoo [containing 1.5% ciclopiroxolamine (CPO), 3% salicylic acid, and 0.5% menthol] in subjects with ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dandruff published 17 November 2009:

Identification of (1-->6)-beta-D-glucan as the major carbohydrate component of the Malassezia sympodialis cell wall.   Carbohydr Res, 344(18): 2474-9.

Members of the genus Malassezia are commensal fungi found on the skin of both human and domestic animals and are associated with skin diseases including dandruff/seborrheic dermatitis, pityriasis versicolor, and atopic eczema (AE) in humans. In this study we have characterized the cell-wall carbohydrates of Malassezia sympodialis, one of the species most frequently isolated from both AE patients and healthy individuals. Cells were grown in liquid Dixon media at 32 degrees C, harvested, and ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dandruff published 10 November 2009:

Antifungal activity of the aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis against Malassezia furfur.   Phytother Res.

Malassezia furfur is a lipodependent, dimorphic and saprophyte fungus which causes pityriasis versicolor, dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis in humans. The drugs available to treat this fungal infection are few. These drugs are highly toxic and are costly when used in prolonged treatments. For these reasons, it is necessary to find new compounds to treat these infections. Ilex paraguariensis St Hilaire is a plant that grows in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The aim of this study was to ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dandruff published 16 June 2009:

A lipohydroxyacid-containing shampoo improves scalp condition and quality of life in patients with seborrheic dermatitis and light-to-moderate scalp psoriasis.   J Cosmet Dermatol, 8(2): 108-13.

Background Dandruff is a common scalp disorder affecting almost half of the post-pubertal population of any ethnicity and both genders. It is one of the major reasons for patients to consult a dermatologist and it is the cause of significant psychological and social distress. Aims The aim of this open study was to evaluate the benefit of a 4-week treatment with a shampoo containing 0.1% lipohydroxyacid (LHA) and 1.3% salicylic acid on the scalp condition and on the quality of life of 275 ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dandruff published 22 April 2009:

Molecular identification of Malassezia species isolated from dermatitis affections.   Mycoses, 52(3): 251-6.

The lipophilic yeast of the genus Malassezia are opportunistic microorganisms of the skin microflora but they can be agents of various dermatomycoses. The aim of this study was to perform molecular identification of the commonly isolated Malassezia species from various dermatomycoses in our region. Thirty strains of Malassezia were isolated from different dermatologic affections: pityriasis versicolor (17), dandruff (5), seborrheic dermatitis (4), onyxis (2), folliculitis (1) and blepharitis ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dandruff published 1 April 2009:

Clinical efficacies of topical agents for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp: a comparative study.   J Dermatol, 36(3): 131-7.

Previous studies have shown that topical steroid and shampoo containing zinc pyrithione provide clinical benefits for treatment of scalp seborrheic dermatitis. But the clinical efficacy of topical tacrolimus, a newly developed calcineurin inhibitor on seborrheic dermatitis, is not well investigated yet. We wanted to compare the clinical efficacy of topical tacrolimus with that of conventional treatment (zinc pyrithione shampoo and topical betamethasone) for treatment of seborrheic dermatitis of ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dandruff published 7 January 2009:

Does tachyphylaxis occur in long-term management of scalp seborrheic dermatitis with pyrithione zinc-based treatments?   Int J Dermatol, 48(1): 79-85.

BACKGROUND: Scalp seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff (SD/D) are chronic conditions requiring long-term treatment. There is a common belief that patients frequently experience decreasing benefits over time when using a single product. This physiologic accommodation is termed tachyphylaxis. AIM: To systematically investigate the anecdotal belief that tachyphylaxis occurs in long-term treatment of SD/D using quantitative clinical assessments. METHODS: An international questionnaire completed by ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dandruff published 22 December 2008:

Evaluation of the genotoxicity of the imidazole antifungal climbazole: Comparison to published results for other azole compounds.   Mutat Res, 672(1): 27-39.

Climbazole is an imidazole antifungal agent that can provide anti-dandruff benefits when incorporated into a shampoo matrix. A series of genotoxicity studies were performed to support the human safety of this azole antifungal drug. Climbazole was not mutagenic in the Salmonella typhimurium or Escherichia coli Ames assay and did not induce micronuclei in human lymphocytes. In the mouse lymphoma assay (MLA), climbazole was negative (non-mutagenic) with and without metabolic (S9) activation after ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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