Dandruff is associated with disequilibrium in the proportion of the major bacterial and fungal populations colonizing the scalp

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58203. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058203. Epub 2013 Mar 6.

Abstract

The bacterial and fungal communities associated with dandruff were investigated using culture-independent methodologies in the French subjects. The major bacterial and fungal species inhabiting the scalp subject's were identified by cloning and sequencing of the conserved ribosomal unit regions (16S for bacterial and 28S-ITS for fungal) and were further quantified by quantitative PCR. The two main bacterial species found on the scalp surface were Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, while Malassezia restricta was the main fungal inhabitant. Dandruff was correlated with a higher incidence of M. restricta and S. epidermidis and a lower incidence of P. acnes compared to the control population (p<0.05). These results suggested for the first time using molecular methods, that dandruff is linked to the balance between bacteria and fungi of the host scalp surface.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Base Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • France
  • Humans
  • Malassezia / genetics*
  • Metagenome*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Population Dynamics
  • Propionibacterium acnes / genetics*
  • Scalp Dermatoses / microbiology*
  • Scalp Dermatoses / pathology*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Species Specificity
  • Staphylococcus epidermidis / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA, Ribosomal

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a grant from L’Oréal – Research & Innovation and has been performed on the basis of a scientific collaboration. The panels of subjects with and without dandruff were selected by L’Oréal Research &Innovation. No additional external funding source was received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.