Sepsis associated with Norwegian scabies in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

A review of the literature reveals that of the eight reported cases of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome acquiring Norwegian scabies, three of these have been complicated by sepsis. We describe such a patient who contracted sepsis from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We propose that the fissures often seen in severe cases of Norwegian scabies may serve as a port of entry for bacteria, thus placing these patients at a high risk for sepsis. We also believe that empiric antibiotic treatment is justified in these patients and that the choice of agent should be based on the institution's bacterial flora profile.