SKIN DISEASES IN HIV-INFECTED PERSONS CAU SED BY BACTERIAS AND PROTOZOAS

Skin diseases and diseases of the mucous membranes play an important r ole in the course of HIV infection. During the progression of the immu nosuppression there is also an increase of dermatological diseases. It seems that there is little accurance of bacterial infections of the s kin in HIV-infected persons in comparison to viral and fungal infectio ns. However, if there is a bacterial disease it often lasts longer and shows atypical clinical course. Additionally rare diseases and unusua l germs are found as causes of infections. There is indeed an increase of bacterial infections in i.v.-drug users and HIV-infected children. It has been shown that about 50% of all HIV patients suffer from foll icular inflammation of the trunk with itchiness. Frequent discussions of etiology include bacteria, fungi and molds as well as medical treat ment and immunological procedures. With the increase of myco-bacterios es there will be a progress of opportunistic infections with mycobacte ria non tuberculosis as well as tuberculosis of the skin in Europe. Ro chalimaea henselae was identified as the germ of the recently discover ed pseudoneoplastic vessel disease, the bacillary angiomatosis. Protoz oa diseases are often seen as sources of systemic opportunistic infect ions, cutaneous manifestations are rare but should be considered as po ssible option, if someone is coming from or has recently travelled to an endemic region.