Skin complications of HIV infection

Infection with HIV leads to a decrease in cell-mediated immunity resulting in a variety of opportunistic infections of viral, bacterial and fungal etiology. Cutaneous manifestations of infectious and noninfectious causes are frequently reported in HIV patients. Some infectious diseases, such as herpes simplex, herpes zoster, human papillomavirus, bacterial folliculitis and dermatophytosis, are commonly observed in the general population but may have a severe or recalcitrant course in HIV/AIDS patients. Other diseases, such as bacillary angiomatosis and disseminated fungal infections, are rare and limited to immunocompromised individuals. With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy in the 1990s, drug reactions have become more frequent. HIV/AIDS patients can have reactions to antiretroviral medications, including a morbilliform rash, urticaria, Stevens–Johnson syndrome and drug hypersensitivity syndrome.