Bacillary epithelioid angiomatosis in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)--clinicopathological and ultrastructural study of a case with a review of the literature

Bacillary epithelioid angiomatosis (BEA) is a rare cutaneous disorder usually affecting patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection often misdiagnosed as a vascular tumour. We describe a 51-year-old, HIV-positive, Caucasian, homosexual male who developed scattered papulo-nodular lesions with clinicopathological and ultrastructural features of BEA. He had a dramatic therapeutic response to systemic antibiotics. There has been a lack of such reports in the European literature. The differential diagnosis is discussed and a brief review of the English literature to date is included.