[Histoplasmosis with cutaneous manifestations in HIV/AIDS patients].

Cutaneous infection by histoplasmosis in Cuban HIV patients was researched. In a case series study, all HIV patients admitted to "Pedro Kouri" Institute from January 1st, 1992 to June 30th, 2003, who had been diagnosed with cutaneous histoplasmosis, were included. Of 44 patients with histoplasmosis, 52% (23 cases) developed the progressive disseminated form of histoplasmosis, which behaved as a subacute weakening disease. Young adults represented 56.5% and 82.6% were males mainly Caucasian (91.3%). Most of cases came from the Western provinces. Histoplasmosis was a marker disease in 39.1% of cases. CD4+ T-lymphocyte counting under 200 cell/mm3 was present in 78.9% of patients. Histoplasmosis seems to behave as an important marker disease for AIDs in seropositive patients. Serology was not the diagnosing method of choice for this cutaneous disease in AIDS patients.