Cutaneous manifestations of parasitic infections in HIV/AIDS

In immunocompromised persons, parasitic diseases, like most infectious diseases, may present in typical or unusual fashion. The interactions between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and parasitic infec - tions are important for several reasons. The natural history of parasitic infections in persons with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may be altered due to incompetent immune response, at times leading to extraordinary manifestations of even the most common of infestations. Of interest, chronic parasitic infections may affect the natural history of infection with HIV itself. Furthermore, tropical parasitic infections are present in a great proportion of those in geographic regions that encompass the brunt of the HIV pandemic so that coinfection not uncommon. Finally, atypical presen - tations of common infestations may lead clinicians to suspect HIV infection in undiagnosed persons, facili - tating diagnosis and management of a previously undetected infection.