Morphologic features and clinical significance of skin involvement in patients with AIDS-related cryptococcosis.
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.
Manfredi
R
R
Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Bologna, Italy.
Mazzoni
A
A
Nanetti
A
A
Mastroianni
A
A
Coronado
O
O
Chiodo
F
F
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006678:HIV; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*