Bull Soc Pathol Exot. 1993;86(5 Pt 2):512-6. Unique Identifier :
The term prurigo applies to a classic chronic skin disease of children
(P. strophulus) which is becoming found very seldom in developed
countries, but remains extraordinarily prevalent in tropical areas. This
striking geographical distribution relies on its ectoparasitic origin.
Some peculiar aspects of prurigo, observed in French Guyana (South
America), are reported. The original point is a new aspect of adult
acquired prurigo, associated with HIV infection, which appears to be one
of the features characteristic of tropical AIDS. This HIV associated
prurigo (HAP) is the revelating event, in as high as 20% of HIV infected
people, significatively those with less than 200 CD4 cells. HAP appears
as a marker of HIV infection with poor sensitivity, but much higher
specificity (92%), with no correlation with acquisition's risk factors.
Just like infantile prurigo, HAP can be considered an arthropod bite
reaction which seems to be enhanced in HIV infected people living in
tropical environment.
CD4 Lymphocyte Count English Abstract French Guiana Human HIV
Infections/*COMPLICATIONS Prurigo/*COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY
*Tropical Climate JOURNAL ARTICLE