Early warning skin signs in AIDS and persistent generalized lymphadenopathy.

Distinctive patterns of skin disease other than Kaposi's sarcoma have been in patients with AIDS, in others with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) and in a group at high risk of developing AIDS. We found a chronic acneiform folliculitis on the face, back, chest and buttocks, extensive cutaneous fungal infections and a striking neck and beard impetigo. These skin diseases were not present in asymptomatic male homosexual control subjects, 32% of whom were found to have antibodies to human T cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III). We regard these dermatoses as early warning signs of AIDS.