Histologic features of foreign body reactions in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1. The Military Medical Consortium for Applied Retroviral Research.

BACKGROUND

Within a large population of patients seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), seven had biopsy specimens that showed foreign body reactions with histologic features different from those seen in non-HIV-1-positive patients.

OBJECTIVE

These cases were reviewed to determine whether there was a specific pattern of response to foreign bodies in HIV-1 infection and whether this pattern was related to the stage of disease.

METHODS

Biopsy specimens were reviewed to identify ruptured epidermal cysts. These were studied in routine hematoxylin-and-eosin-stained sections and with immunohistochemical stains to characterize the inflammatory infiltrate.

RESULTS

The lesions in HIV-1-infected patients contained abundant macrophages with evidence of decreased function and a lack of giant cells.

CONCLUSION

These histologic features suggest an early functional deficit before there is a significant decrease in the number of T4 lymphocytes.