Chronic actinic dermatitis: An only presenting manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus in a young Indian male.

Abstract

Skin diseases often provide the first clue to diagnose human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and may serve as a clinical indicator of the underlying immune status of the patient. Photodermatitis in HIV patients presents with a protean of clinical manifestations, and it usually develops after the diagnosis or during the course of HIV, especially in patients with low CD4 counts. We present the case of a young, healthy Indian male with chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD), who was later confirmed to have HIV seropositivity with CD4 count of 180/μl, without any systemic illness or evidence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining illnesses. CAD as an initial presentation of HIV is a rare finding, especially in the absence of other AIDS-defining illnesses.