Bacillary angiomatosis in a patient with lymphocytic leukaemia

Abstract

A 78-year-old man, who suffered from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and diabetes mellitus, but was human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative, developed disseminated angiomatous papules following a cat scratch. Bacillary angiomatosis was diagnosed by light and electron microscopic demonstration of the causative bacteria in the vascular lesions. The lesions resolved completely when he was treated with erythromycin. This case demonstrates that bacillary angiomatosis can be an important cutaneous manifestation of immunodeficiency in individuals who are not infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.