BACKGROUND: Bacillary angiomatosis is a clinicopathologic entity that most often is identified in the skin of patients with AIDS. This report presents an example of bacillary angiomatosis of the female genital tract. CASE: Bacillary angiomatosis presented as red-purple nodules of the vulva and cervix in a 32-year-old woman with AIDS. Histologic examination revealed the lobular epithelioid vascular proliferation and hazy clumps of bacteria that characterize bacillary angiomatosis. The diagnosis was confirmed on Warthin-Starry-stained issue and by blood cultures, which were positive for Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae. CONCLUSION: Accurate diagnosis of this infection is important because 1) bacillary angiomatosis is commonly mistaken for Kaposi sarcoma, 2) it is effectively treated with inexpensive antibiotics, and 3) undiagnosed and/or untreated bacillary angiomatosis may lead to overwhelming disseminated infection and death.
BACKGROUND:Bacillary angiomatosis is a clinicopathologic entity that most often is identified in the skin of patients with AIDS. This report presents an example of bacillary angiomatosis of the female genital tract. CASE: Bacillary angiomatosis presented as red-purple nodules of the vulva and cervix in a 32-year-old woman with AIDS. Histologic examination revealed the lobular epithelioid vascular proliferation and hazy clumps of bacteria that characterize bacillary angiomatosis. The diagnosis was confirmed on Warthin-Starry-stained issue and by blood cultures, which were positive for Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae. CONCLUSION: Accurate diagnosis of this infection is important because 1) bacillary angiomatosis is commonly mistaken for Kaposi sarcoma, 2) it is effectively treated with inexpensive antibiotics, and 3) undiagnosed and/or untreated bacillary angiomatosis may lead to overwhelming disseminated infection and death.