What type of folliculitis is typically associated with a potassium hydroxide smear showing Malassezia?

Malassezia folliculitis is characterized by the presence of Malassezia yeast, which is a type of fungus that is part of the normal flora of the skin but can proliferate under certain conditions, leading to an inflammatory response. A potassium hydroxide (KOH) smear is used in dermatology to help identify fungal elements in a sample. When a KOH smear reveals Malassezia, it indicates that this organism is likely the cause of the folliculitis, as Malassezia is often implicated in superficial skin infections, including folliculitis.

In contrast, bacterial folliculitis would typically show bacteria on culture rather than fungi on a KOH smear. Pseudomonas folliculitis, commonly associated with hot tubs and contaminated water, is primarily due to bacterial infection; it would not be identified through a KOH smear focused on fungal elements. Tinea versicolor, while also associated with Malassezia, is a distinct condition characterized by skin discoloration rather than the follicular inflammation trademark of folliculitis. Thus, the type of folliculitis associated with finding Malassezia on a KOH smear is rightly identified as Malassezia folliculitis.