[HIV infection prevalence in patients having cutaneous pathology in a National Reference Center (2005-2006)]

Luisa Porras de Quintana1, Margarita Tamayo-Buendía, Guillermo Sánchez-Vanegas

  • 1Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta, Bogotá, Colombia.

Insights

The study found that patients with Molluscum contagiosum have a nearly 4 times higher risk of undiagnosed HIV infection compared to other skin conditions. This highlights the importance of screening for HIV in patients with specific dermatoses.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Cutaneous diseases are common in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
  • Early diagnosis of HIV is crucial for effective management and prevention of transmission.
  • Prevalence of undiagnosed HIV in patients with skin conditions varies globally.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of HIV infection among patients with cutaneous diseases.
  • To identify specific dermatological conditions associated with a higher risk of undiagnosed HIV.
  • To assess the association between Molluscum contagiosum and HIV infection in Colombia.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study involving 1,649 adult patients with cutaneous pathology and no prior HIV diagnosis.
  • HIV diagnosis confirmed by ELISA and Western blot tests.
  • Prevalence calculated as confirmed cases divided by total population; associations measured using prevalence ratio.

Main Results:

  • Overall HIV prevalence was 1.21% (20 cases).
  • Molluscum contagiosum (3.91%) and seborrheic dermatitis (2.05%) showed the highest prevalence of undiagnosed HIV.
  • Patients with Molluscum contagiosum had a 3.96 times higher prevalence ratio for HIV infection (p=0.01562).

Conclusions:

  • Molluscum contagiosum is a significant indicator for undiagnosed HIV infection in adults.
  • Patients with Molluscum contagiosum face a substantially higher risk of HIV.
  • Dermatologists should consider HIV screening for patients presenting with Molluscum contagiosum.
Abstract

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