ACARIASI IN PAZIENTI CON INFEZIONE DA HIV: CASISTICA PERSONALE

Scabies has an important place among cutaneous manifestations in HIV infected patients, not much for its prognostic implications as for the high risk of the occurrence of nosocomial and community outbreaks. To evaluate the prevalence of scabies among HIV patients we carried out a retrospective survey of all patients followed-up at the Istituto di Malattie Infettive dell'UCSC between January 1985 and December 1993. Nineteen cases of scabies were identified, 4 before 1992, 9 in 1992 and 6 in 1993. All patients were HIV patients group C3. Six of the patients were resident in an hospice. Three cases of Norwegian scabies occurred in 1992 in patients with a diagnosis of AIDS Dementia Complex preceding the remaining cases diagnosed in the same year. The prevalence of scabies among HIV infected patients followed-up at our department was 1%. These data confirm the relative spread of Sarcoptes scabiei in confined community and the risk of acquiring scabies by patients with poor hygienic standards. The authors believe that a diagnosis of scabies should always be considered in HIV infected patients with prurigo, irrespective of the characteristics of such a symptom.