Skin Diseases in Children with HIV Infection and Their Association with Degree of Immunosuppression

Since the recognition of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 1981, several dermatologic manifestations have been associated with the syndrome, including candidiasis, dermatophyte infection, molluscum contagiosum, herpes simplex and zoster, bacterial infection, and malignancy. Skin diseases have been observed in both the adult and the pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in an academic hospital setting in relationship to the current CDC classification of pediatric HIV infection. The severity of dermatologic manifestations is correlated with the immune status of the patients. The latter was determined by T4 helper cell numbers and lymphoproliferative responses to mitogens and recall antigens. More severe T helper cell depletion was associated with a wider spectrum and increased severity of dermatologic manifestations.