Seborrheic dermatitis and atopic eczema in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Diseases of the skin and visible mucous membranes are important signs of HIV infection. Dermatitis and eczema present mostly as seborrheic dermatitis. Thirty-one % of asymptomatic patients in seropositive latency period and up to 83% of AIDS patients present with this common symptom of HIV infection. Up to now there is no clear answer about the importance of atopic manifestations in AIDS. In children with pediatric AIDS, atopic eczema has been described in up to 50% of cases. In adult patients however there are contradictory results about the frequency of atopic diseases.