Biopsy pathology of HIV infection: experience at St Stephen's Hospital, London

In a 3 year period from the beginning of January 1985 to the end of December 1987, 474 biopsies obtained from 266 patients with serological evidence of human immunodeficiency virus infection were examined. Most frequent were skin biopsies of which 52% showed Kaposi's sarcoma, and transbronchial lung biopsies of which 40% showed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Other opportunistic infections were much less common; Mycobacterium avium intracellulare was found in six biopsies and Cytomegalovirus in three. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was diagnosed in six patients.