Skin conditions relating to HIV infection

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) are prone to a variety of skin problems because of their acquired immunodeficiency. These may be only seen in HIV-infected individuals, or may be common conditions in the general population.

Viral infections	Acute morbilliform rash due to HIV infection Herpes simplex (often severe and prolonged) Varicella zoster (may be recurrent) Molluscum contagiosum Human papillomavirus Oral hairy leukoplakia
Fungal infections	Tinea (all forms) Blastomycosis Candidiasis (may spread to involve oesophagus) Cryptococcosis Histoplasmosis Pityrosporum folliculitis Pityriasis versicolor Systemic mycoses Pneumocystosis (previously classified as protozoa)
Bacterial infections	Cellulitis Ecthyma Impetigo Folliculitis Bacillary angiomatosis Syphilis (genital ulcers increase chance of transmission of HIV) Pitted keratolysis
Arthropod infestations	Insect bites Scabies Demodicosis
Inflammatory conditions	Seborrhoeic dermatitis Psoriasis (new onset and severe forms, including pustular psoriasis and erythroderma) Eczema Pruritic papular eruption of HIV
Malignancies	Kaposi's sarcoma Cutaneous B-cell lymphoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma Skin cancer including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and anal carcinoma
Other skin problems	Adverse effects of drugs e.g. morbilliform eruptions, lipodystrophy and xanthomas from antiretroviral therapy Ichthyosis Eosinophilic folliculitis

Related information

On DermNetNZ:

HIV AIDS news – from eMaxHealth

Video content:

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Other websites:

HIV/AIDS medicines– Medline Plus
HIV InSite
AIDS Foundation (New Zealand)
HIV infection BestHealth
HIV/AIDS & STDs – CDC: Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
HIV infections World Health Organization (WHO)
Childhood HIV disease Medscape Reference
Cutaneous manifestations of HIV disease Medscape Reference
Early Recognition and Rapid Testing of HIV in Emergency Medicine Medscape Reference
HIV/AIDS – EmedicineHealth
HIV and AIDS videos – Health Video

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