HIV-ASSOCIATED EOSINOPHILIC FOLLICULITIS IN A CHINESE WOMAN - A CASE-REPORT AND A SURVEY IN HONG-KONG

This is the first survey of eosinophilic folliculitis (EF) in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Hong Kong. Th e present report provides the local data on HIV-associated eosinophili c folliculitis (HIV-EF) and includes the first Chinese, heterosexual f emale patient with this condition. This is a retrospective study on al l HIV-positive patients (n=451) attending the outpatient clinic of the AIDS Unit in Hong Kong. Patients diagnosed as having EF with histolog ical support were included for analysis. The data were presented by de scriptive method. Three patients were identified, all of them had skin biopsies done which confirmed the diagnosis; including the female cas e. Recognition of HIV-EF is important because it is indicative of sign ificant immunosuppression with risk of opportunistic infection. We con cluded that HIV-EF is no longer an exclusive male disease in homosexua l patients only. We expect more female patients or heterosexual subjec ts who are HIV positive developing this disease in the future.