Erythroderma as the initial presentation of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

A 32-year-old black homosexual man, seronegative for human immunodeficiency virus antibody, presented with erythroderma. His peripheral blood was significant for circulating Sézary-like cells bearing the CD8(+) phenotype. Eighty-eight percent of his lymphocytes were CD8(+) as well. He seroconverted 3 months after the initial presentation. We conclude that erythroderma was the presenting sign of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.