EPITHELIOID ANGIOMATOSIS OR CAT SCRATCH DISEASE WITH SPLENIC AND HEPATIC ABNORMALITIES IN AIDS - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Cat scratch disease (CSD) in the setting of HIV infection is associated with lesions of epithelioid angiomatosis but not with granulomatous lesions seen in the normal host. We report case of CSD in a patient with AIDS and Kaposi's sarcoma with epithelioid angioma of skin, thrombocytopenia, and abnormalities of liver, spleen, lymph node, and pleura that responded to antimicrobial therapy. We also review reported cases of epithelioid angiomatosis in HIV infections. 12 of these resolved, including 3 without antimicrobial therapy; 18 demonstrated pleomorphic organisms with Warthin-Starry silver stain. Six involved visceral or bony as well as skin lesions. CSD should be considered in the setting of HIV infection with skin nodules even in the presence of biopsy-proven Kaposi's sarcoma. CSD may in these patients be responsible for a variety of disseminated lesions which respond to antimicrobial therapy. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.