title: Herpes simplex mimicking leukemia cutis.
abstract: We present a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who developed a painful penile ulcer that was initially diagnosed as leukemia cutis, as evidenced by an atypical leukemic infiltrate on biopsy. A Tzanck preparation was positive for multinucleated giant cells, and the diagnosis of herpes genitalis was confirmed by viral culture. In patients with hematologic malignancies, herpes simplex virus must be included in the differential diagnosis of ulcerative lesions. The histopathologic findings of inflammatory dermatoses in these patients may include an atypical infiltrate, because of the predominance of atypical inflammatory cells in the peripheral circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hassel
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lesher
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014456:Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000212:Acyclovir