HIV-related skin disease in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria: A 20-year experience

Abstract

Background: Skin diseases are common in African patients with HIV infection. They are often the first clinical manifestations of immune deficiency and their frequency increases as impaired immunity worsens and decreases as immunity improves with antiretroviral drugs (ARV). Objective: To report the relative incidence and clinical presentation of HIV-related skin disease over 20 years when diagnosis and treatment availability varied. Methods: Records of patients with HIV-related skin disease attending a dermatology clinic in Kaduna, Nigeria from 2001 to 2021 were reviewed. Results: HIV-related skin disease was diagnosed in 525/29,278 (1.8%) patients with 610 episodes of skin disease: Mean age 36.2 years (range:4 – 68 years), 60% age < 40, males 55%. Almost 72% of patients were seen between 2001 and 2010 and only 9.3% were seen after 2015. Patients seen between 2001 and 2010 were significantly less likely to know their HIV status (19.9% vs. 80.1%, P = 0.000) and be receiving ARV (21.5%, vs. 51.4%, P = 0.000) than those seen between 2011 and 2021. The most common skin conditions were: pruritic papular eruption 33%, herpes zoster 19.7%, Kaposi sarcoma 11%, atopiform dermatitis 8.9%, and seborrheic dermatitis 3.8%. Plane warts, adverse drug reactions, folliculitis, furunculosis, genital herpes simplex, psoriasis, dermatophyte infection, and molluscum contagiosum were also seen. Almost 60% of patients a had CD4 count < 200 cells/ml at presentation. Conclusion: We noted a marked change in the frequency and pattern of disease between 2001-2010 and 2011-2021 likely due to the increased availability of care and treatment over the period.