Abstract
Malassezia species are considered to be one of the exacerbating factors in atopic dermatitis (AD). During examination of the cutaneous colonization of Malassezia species in AD patients, we found a new species on the surface of the patients' skin. Analysis of ribosomal DNA sequences suggested that the isolates belonged to the genus MALASSEZIA: They did not grow in Sabouraud dextrose agar but utilized specific concentrations of Tween 20, 40, 60, and 80 as a lipid source. Thus, we concluded that our isolates were new members of the genus Malassezia and propose the name Malassezia dermatis sp. nov. for these isolates.