Acquired immune deficiency syndrome without the recognized risk factors.
We report two cases of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), apparently without the usual exposure factors, in whom a temporal association was detected after detailed epidemiological investigation. The index case, a 45 year old housewife, had provided terminal home-nursing care for a 33 year old African man, who died from an undiagnosed encephalitis. At that time she had fissures of the skin of both her hands. Review of post-mortem pathology specimens of the African man allowed a retrospective diagnosis of AIDS with cerebral toxoplasmosis to be made. The type of home-nursing care given by the index case was quite different from that normally provided by health care workers with the training and facilities to prevent the spread of infection.
Rademaker
M
M
Department of Dermatology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, UK.
Thomas
R H
RH
Provost
T G
TG
McEvoy
M
M
Grint
P C
PC
Heath
R
R
Kirby
J D
JD
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D000328:Adult; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries