BACILLARY ANGIOMATOSIS

Bacillary angiomatosis (BA) is a rare infectious disease usually assoc iated with HIV infection. Recent molecular biologic investigations con firm that both Rochalimaea henselae and Rochalimaea quintana can cause BA. The bacteria can be identified by Warthin-Starry staining and ele ctron microscopy. The typical clinical signs are solitary or multiple dermal or subcutaneous nodules. Bone, liver, spleen and other organs m ay also be involved. We describe the clinical and histological feature s of a 39-year-old HIV-infected patient with cutaneous and bony lesion s of BA. All manifestations of BA disappeared during therapy with eryt hromycin.