Bacillary Angiomatosis in HIV-Infected Patients – An Epidemiological and Clinical Study

Background: No data were available on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of bacillary angiomatosis (BA) in Germany. Objective: To determine epidemiological and clinical data on HIV-associated BA. Methods: A chart review of all BA cases between 1990 and 1998 was performed in 23 German AIDS treatment units. Results: A total of 21 cases of BA was diagnosed. During this period, the participating HIV centers treated about 17,000 HIV-infected patients. As a result, a BA prevalence of 1.2 cases/1,000 patients can be assumed. 19 BA were localized in the skin; in 5 cases bones and in 4 cases the liver were involved. Out of 20 patients who received antibiotic therapy, 13 had complete remission. The median time of duration up to complete remission was 32 days (9–82). During the follow-up of the 20 patients, 7 relapses were observed. Conclusion: BA is a rare HIV-associated disease with a prevalence of 1,2 cases/1,000 patients in the presented study.