HIV & Related Skin Complications: Brief Guide

As the immune system deteriorates, people with HIV are more vulnerable to many opportunistic diseases. One of the earliest and most obvious indicators of HIV infection are skin manifestations, which can also be crucial prognostic and diagnostic indicators.

The skin complications associated with HIV infection can be broadly categorized into infectious and non-infectious conditions. Infectious skin disorders include bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. They tend to be more severe, atypical in presentation and resistant to conventional treatment. Most common infections include herpes zoster, molluscum contagiosum, oral candidiasis and extensive dermatophytosis.

Non-infectious skin conditions related include inflammatory dermatoses such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis and pruritic papular eruptions, as well as neoplastic lesions like Kaposi’s sarcoma and cutaneous lymphoma. The symptoms may get worse as the illness worsens and frequently indicate the level of immune suppression.

By improving immune function, highly active antiretroviral therapy has dramatically decreased the frequency and severity of many HIV-related skin problems. However, some antiretroviral medications themselves may result in dermatological side effects, including as hypersensitivity reactions and drug-induced rashes.

In summary, the clinical course of HIV infection is significantly influenced by cutaneous symptoms. A thorough awareness of the wide spectrum of cutaneous diseases and available treatments in this particular group is essential. Furthermore, early recognition and appropriate management of these dermatological complications improves the quality of life and general prognosis.

The main skin complications associated with HIV, together with the relevant CD4 count ranges and lesions are briefly listed below. Though they can be diagnosed clinically, some recommended confirmatory diagnostic tests are underlined.

References

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