Bacillary angiomatosis of the cervix and vulva in a patient with AIDS.

BACKGROUND

Bacillary angiomatosis is a clinicopathologic entity that most often is identified in the skin of patients with AIDS. This report presents an example of bacillary angiomatosis of the female genital tract.

CASE

Bacillary angiomatosis presented as red-purple nodules of the vulva and cervix in a 32-year-old woman with AIDS. Histologic examination revealed the lobular epithelioid vascular proliferation and hazy clumps of bacteria that characterize bacillary angiomatosis. The diagnosis was confirmed on Warthin-Starry-stained issue and by blood cultures, which were positive for Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae.

CONCLUSION

Accurate diagnosis of this infection is important because 1) bacillary angiomatosis is commonly mistaken for Kaposi sarcoma, 2) it is effectively treated with inexpensive antibiotics, and 3) undiagnosed and/or untreated bacillary angiomatosis may lead to overwhelming disseminated infection and death.