Cutaneous pneumocystosis.

A 42-year-old man with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) presented with a 9-month history of progressive hearing loss and bilateral external auditory canal masses. Biopsy of the right ear mass detected Pneumocystis carinii. The patient was treated with a 7-day course of intravenous trimethoprim, followed by a 3-week course of oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with a marked reduction in the size of his ear masses. This is the first reported case of skin involvement by P. carinii in a patient with AIDS. Because of our patient's documented response to treatment, we stress the importance of biopsy of cutaneous lesions in this group of patients, who may have a potentially treatable condition.