title: Cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Zaire.
abstract: Cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions were assessed by the CMI-Multitest (Merieux, Lyon, France) in patients with different stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Kinshasa, Zaire. Skin tests were read after 48-72 h. A reaction to an antigen was considered positive if there was induration of greater than 2 mm. Cutaneous anergy occurred more often in HIV-seropositive patients than in healthy controls (p less than 0.001) and was most prevalent in patients with advanced HIV illness. HIV-seropositive patients with a positive tuberculin reaction were more likely to have active tuberculosis (TB) than HIV-seropositive patients without a positive tuberculin reaction (p less than 0.001). Therefore, a TB diagnosis should be pursued in HIV-seropositive patients with a positive tuberculin reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Belgian-Zairian Medical Cooperation, Kinshasa, Belgium.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Colebunders
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lebughe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nzila
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalunga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ryder
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications*