[Bacillary epithelioid angiomatosis in advanced HIV infection]

A patient with advanced HIV infection developed multiple angiomatous papules and nodules on the upper chest within a few days. At first sight the lesions resembled disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma; the differential diagnosis, however, included eruptive haemangiomas and pyogenic granulomas. Such distinct clinical characteristics as the collarette-like desquamation at the borders of the tumours led to the suspicion of bacillary epithelioid angiomatosis in HIV infection, which was then confirmed by histology and ultrastructural demonstration of bacillary colonies within the lesions. Under systemic antibiotic treatment, marked regression of the lesions was quickly observed within 1 week and complete regression occurred after 4 weeks. It is important to consider bacillary angiomatosis in HIV infection in the differential diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma, and it is a separate entity in the form of angioproliferation caused by bacteria.