Cutaneous cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis coinfection in a patient with AIDS.

Abstract

Patients with AIDS may have multiple infections at one time, and skin lesions resulting from simultaneous infections with more than one organism have been described. We report a case of disseminated cryptococcal and histoplasmosis infections with cutaneous lesions in a patient with AIDS. In addition, we demonstrate the first case of two coexisting fungal infections in a unique skin lesion. The cutaneous presentation of infectious disorders in HIV-infected patients is often nondescript and not diagnosed by clinical observation alone. Biopsies and cultures are essential for making accurate diagnoses in immunocompromised patients with unusual skin lesions.