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INTRODUCTION

Disorders of the skin are often the first presenting feature of HIV infection. Up to 92% of HIV-infected patients will develop one or more skin diseases during the course of their illness. It is therefore important for family practitioners, primary health care workers and dermatologists to be able to recognize and diagnose HIV and HIV-related skin disorders.
In patients presenting with dermatological problems HIV should be suspected if:

• The patient has a florid or atypical eruption of a common or minor rash such as tinea corporis.
  
• The skin condition is resistant to conventional therapy.
  
• The patient has a skin disorder known to be related to HIV or AIDS such as oral hairy leukoplakia or herpes zoster in a young adult.
  
• There are features suggestive of HIV on general examination such as wasting, generalized lymphadenopathy or oral candidiasis.
  
• The patient has risk factors for HIV such as sexually transmitted disease.
  
• The patient presents with an AIDS-defining illness such as Kaposi's sarcoma.