Medknow Publications on behalf of The Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL)
Abstract
Kaposi′s sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal cutaneous and extra
cutaneous vascular proliferative disorder. In India, there are only a
few cases of HIV-associated KS in published literature. A 26-year-old
married man presented with asymptomatic elevated skin lesions over the
face, trunk, both upper limbs and lower limbs with a duration of
one-and-a-half months. Cutaneous examination revealed multiple
violaceous papules and nodules, on the face (right upper and lower
eyelids, upper lip), trunk and proximal part of both limbs. Oral cavity
showed erythematous plaques, two in number, on the hard palate. Skin
biopsy showed proliferation of thin walled capillaries with formation
of slit like spaces, spindle cell proliferation, abundant extravasation
of RBCs and moderately dense inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis.
Thus a clinical diagnosis of cutaneous KS was confirmed. On testing
with ELISA for HIV, the patient was for the first time diagnosed as HIV
reactive. Thus KS was the presenting manifestation of HIV disease