Acquired ichthyosis in concomitant HIV-1 and HTLV-II infection: a new association with intravenous drug abuse.
BACKGROUND
Papulosquamous eruptions are common in HIV-1-infected patients. Acquired ichthyosis may occur after profound T-cell depletion. Intravenous drug users infected with HIV-1 can be coinfected with human lymphotropic virus II (HTLV-II).


OBJECTIVE
We examined the relation between acquired ichthyosis and concomitant infection with HIV-1 and HTLV-II in intravenous drug users.


METHODS
We examined 184 male and female HIV-1-positive intravenous drug users for acquired ichthyosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to screen these patients for antibody to HTLV-I/II. Western blot, viral isolation, and the polymerase chain reaction were used to confirm that serologic responses were from HTLV-II and not HTLV-I.


RESULTS
Acquired ichthyosis occurred in 6.3% of white, 16.4% of Hispanic, and 21.7% of black patients. It occurred only after profound helper T-cell depletion, in association with increasing age, and with concomitant infection with HTLV-II (22.2% vs. 6.8% in HIV-1 singly infected patients [p < 0.038]).


CONCLUSIONS
Acquired ichthyosis may be a marker of concomitant infection with HIV-1 and HTLV-II in intravenous drug users and occurs after profound helper T-cell depletion.
Kaplan
M H
MH
Department of Medicine, North Shore University Hospital/Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, NY 11030.
Sadick
N S
NS
McNutt
N S
NS
Talmor
M
M
Coronesi
M
M
Hall
W W
WW
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007057:Ichthyosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
D004279:DNA, Viral