[Polymyositis as the first manifestation of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

We present a case of polymyositis (PM) in a patient with no previous relevant medical history, who had received blood transfusion four years ago during surgery. It could be demonstrated that the patient was HIV infected inspite the fact that he did not belong to any other high risk groups. PM was the clinical presentation form of HIV infection, the patient dying five months later due to a Pneumocystis carinii. The main clinical and histologic characteristics of PM in HIV infected patients are described as well as the main myopathies that these patients present.