Cutaneous clues to HIV infection: diagnosis and treatment.

The skin is one of the most important organs involved in patients with HIV infection. Because it is the one most readily evaluated by inspection, it is essential that clinicians be expert in the recognition of skin disorders that herald the presence of HIV disease or a change in the immune status of one already known to be infected. In this article, the most important cutaneous disorders in patients with HIV infection are discussed with special emphasis on those that can be used to assess prognosis or detect the presence of an opportunistic infection.