Appendix mass in AIDS?

We report the case of a male homosexual known to have the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who presented with an acutely painful mass in the right iliac fossa. The initial clinical diagnosis was of an appendix abscess but subsequent investigation and ultimately laparotomy proved this to be a tuberculous ileal mass. A 30-year-old white English homosexual presented with a 2-week history of pain in the right iliac fossa, fever and general malaise. On examination he was found to have a tender mass in the right iliac fossa and a provisional diagnosis of an appendix abscess was made. In the past he had had several sexually transmitted infections including hepatitis B, syphilis, gonorrhoea, and genital herpes. He had not travelled outside Europe but had recently been found positive for the HIV using the standard Wellcozyme test.