Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus in patients with positive results of tests for human immunodeficiency virus 1.

Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevi are rare lesions that have many similarities to psoriasis on histologic examination, and are resistant to therapy. The two lesions reported occurred in patients with positive results of tests for human immunodeficiency virus 1 and showed features consistent with psoriasis. Results of tests for immunohistochemical markers were also consistent with previous findings and expected staining patterns in lesions of psoriasis. Our findings suggest that inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevi represent a clonal dysregulation in growth, probably secondary to an inflammatory stimulus. Since human immunodeficiency virus 1 has been associated with onset and exacerbation of psoriasis, perhaps this virus or another secondary infection associated with human immunodeficiency virus 1 infection could also play a role in the onset of this rare lesion.