Muco-cutaneous manifestations in HIV infection/AIDS

The HIV/AIDS infection is an important public health problem in Romania. The aim of this study was to evaluate the main muco-cutaneous manifestations and their frequency in patients with HIV infection/AIDS in Romania. The study was performed beginning 1988 among 400 patients with HIV infection/AIDS who attended Scarlat Longhin Clinical Hospital for Dermatology, Victor Babeş Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases and Matei Balş National Institute for Infectious Diseases Bucharest, Romania. The patients were clinically examined; mycological examination (KOH exam, cultures) was necessary in 216 cases and histological examination was performed in 32 cases. The subjects were classified in all stages of disease. The age of patients included in the study ranged from 6 months to 82 years. Muco-cutaneous manifestations were present in 76% of patients. The main muco-cutaneous manifestations registered were infections 283 cases (oral and/or genital candidiasis 179 cases; molluscum contagiosum 53 cases; warts 37 cases; tinea 36 cases; sexually transmitted infections 107 cases: herpes simplex genitalis 33 cases, urethritis 31 cases, condylomata acuminata 29 cases, syphilis 17 cases; herpes zoster 28 cases; scabies 12 cases; intertrigo 11 cases; hairy leukoplakia 4 cases; acute retroviral infection 2 cases; disseminated cryptococcosis 2 cases; bacillary angiomatosis, ganglionar tuberculosis 1 case each), xerosis 172 cases, papular eruptions 87 cases, seborrheic dermatitis 57 cases, atopic dermatitis 24 cases, drug reactions 21 cases, cancers 20 cases (Kaposi sarcoma 16 cases, basal cell carcinoma 4 cases), psoriasis 7 cases. Muco-cutaneous manifestations in HIV infection/ AIDS are frequent and polymorphous. They can occur at any point in time, but their frequency and severity are increasing as HIV infection progresses. Dermatological examination is an important step in evaluation of patients HIV-positive.