Morphologic features and clinical significance of skin involvement in patients with AIDS-related cryptococcosis

Acta Derm Venereol. 1996 Jan;76(1):72-4. doi: 10.2340/00015555767274.

Abstract

Eight out of 30 consecutive patients with AIDS and cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (26,7%) presented cutaneous involvement, in the form of papulo-nodular lesions in 3 patients, molluscum contagiosum-like lesions in 3 patients, and pustular-ulcerative lesions in 2 patients. Skin localization represented an untoward prognostic sign, and in 3 out of 8 patients the lesions were diagnosed 2 to 6 weeks before the onset of systemic and neurologic signs and symptoms of the disease. A systematical examination of all suspected cutaneous lesions in subjects with advanced HIV disease may lead to an earlier diagnosis and treatment of disseminated cryptococcosis.

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / complications
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / pathology*
  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Cryptococcosis / complications
  • Cryptococcosis / microbiology
  • Cryptococcosis / pathology*
  • Cryptococcus neoformans / isolation & purification*
  • Dermatomycoses / complications
  • Dermatomycoses / microbiology
  • Dermatomycoses / pathology*
  • HIV
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Meningoencephalitis / complications
  • Meningoencephalitis / microbiology
  • Meningoencephalitis / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Skin / microbiology
  • Skin / pathology*