HIV testing in dermatology – a national audit

Abstract

Forty percent of individuals have late-stage HIV at the time of diagnosis, resulting in increased morbidity. Identifying key diseases which may indicate HIV infection can prompt clinicians to trigger testing, which may result in more timely diagnosis. The British HIV Association has published guidelines on such indicator diseases in dermatology. We audited the practice of HIV testing in UK dermatologists and General Practitioners (GPs) and compared results with the national guidelines. This audit showed that HIV testing in key indicator diseases remains below the standard set out by the national guidelines, and that GPs with special interest in dermatology have a lower likelihood for testing, and lower confidence when compared to consultants, registrars and associate specialists. Large proportions of respondents believed further training in HIV testing would be beneficial.

Kaposi sarcoma among people living with HIV in the French DAT’AIDS cohort between 2010 and 2015

“…Although KS may have different clinical presentations (sometimes atypical) and should occur in conditions other than HIV infection, nevertheless, cutaneous and mucosal involvement are the most frequent, as we have reported herein, highlighting the important role of dermatologists and general practitioners in HIV screening. Two recent studies reported, however, that much progress remains to be made in this area …”