Learn about Malassezia furfur, the causative agent of pityriasis versicolor: clinical presentation and microscopy of potassium hydroxide-treated skin scrapings.
Malassezia furfur (Pityrosporon ovale, Pityrosporum orbiculare) is the causative agent of pityriasis versicolor. Microscopic image: “spaghetti and meatballs” – short curved mycelial filaments and “buds” of spores. Skin scraping, 20% KOH, magnification x400 + zoom.
Material kindly provided by medical laboratory technician Dmitry Emelyanov.
Microscopy features of Malassezia fungi in skin scrapes: characteristic unipolar budding of yeast cells in a 20% potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation.
Laboratory diagnosis of scabies: microscopy of skin scrapings with 20% KOH and morphology of Sarcoptes scabiei hominis mite at x400 magnification.
Microscopic examination of a nail plate scraping with 20% KOH: detection of branching, septate mycelial threads in onychomycosis diagnosis.
