Bacillary angiomatosis with bone invasion

Abstract

Bacillary angiomatosis is an infection determined by Bartonella henselae and B. quintana, rare and prevalent in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. We describe a case of a patient with AIDS and TCD4+ cells equal to 9/mm3, showing reddish-violet papular and nodular lesions, disseminated over the skin, most on the back of the right hand and third finger, with osteolysis of the distal phalanx observed by radiography. The findings of vascular proliferation with presence of bacilli, on the histopathological examination of the skin and bone lesions, led to the diagnosis of bacillary angiomatosis. Corroborating the literature, in the present case the infection affected a young man (29 years old) with advanced immunosuppression and clinical and histological lesions compatible with the diagnosis.

Chronic type 2 reaction possibly triggered by an asymptomatic Bartonella henselae infection in a leprosy patient

“…In immunodeficient patients, whether due to health problems or continuous use of immunosuppressants, Bartonella infection can be more severe or even fatal, as in these cases, the disease is more likely to spread systemically. AIDS patients, when infected by Bartonella, have higher bacterial load levels in circulation which develop more frequently than in immunocompetents, bacillary angiomatosis, hepatic or splenic peliosis, among other manifestations [10][11][12] . Similarly, several additional complications are reported in patients submitted to solid organ transplantation, especially kidney and liver 13 .…”

A case of bacillary angiomatosis following solid organ transplant

“…Bacillary angiomatosis has been noted to affect solid organ transplant recipients, although the disease spectrum, diagnosis, and treatment has not been well‐characterized 1–4 . There are much fewer reported cases of BA in cardiac transplant recipients compared to other solid organ transplants 5 …”