Dermatofibroma parasitized by Leishmania in HIV infection: a new morphologic expression of dermal Kala Azar in an immunodepressed patient.

ABSTRACT

Visceral leishmaniasis is a protozoan infection that may complicate the course of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Dermatofibroma is a cutaneous fibrohistiocytic lesion considered neoplastic by some authors and inflammatory by others. Eruptive dermatofibromas have been described in patients with HIV infection or with other altered immunity situations. We present the case of a 32-year-old, HIV-positive man with visceral leishmaniasis who complained of the appearance of a cutaneous lesion in the leg formed by the coexistence of dermatofibroma and Leishmania parasitic colonization. As far as we know, this type of association has not been reported previously. We consider that the dermatofibroma could have developed as an unusual form of fibrohistiocytic reaction to leishmania. From a practical approach, we recommend the search of leishmaniasis in dermatofibroma in immunosuppressed patients.