Papulosquamous disorders associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection

Papulosquamous eruptions are the most frequently seen cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Especially common and useful in making a diagnosis of HIV infection are seborrheic dermatitis, xerosis or ichthyosis, and a pruritic or papular eruption. There is some evidence from transgenic mice studies that the transactivating gene TAT and the HIV provirus may produce epidermal hyperplasia, either directly or through cytokine production, without associated immunodeficiency. The association of certain papulosquamous diseases, especially psoriasis, with HIV has opened up new avenues of research on pathogenesis of hyperproliferative skin disease.