infectious diseases
Bacillary Angiomatosis
Introduction
Bacillary angiomatosis is skin infection caused by the gram-negative bacteriaBartonella henselaeorB. quintana. Diagnosis is based on histopathology of the skin lesions, cultures, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Treatment is with antibiotics. (See also Overview of Bartonella Infections .) Bacillary angiomatosis almost always occurs in immunocompromised people and is characterized by protuberant, purple to bright red, berrylike lesions on the skin, often surrounded by a collar of scale. Lesions bleed profusely if traumatized. They may resemble Kaposi Sarcoma or is probably spread by fleas from household cats. Disease may spread throughout the reticuloendothelial system, causing bacillary peliosis ( Peliosis Hepatis due to Diagnosisof bacillary angiomatosis relies on histopathology of the skin lesions, cultures, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The laboratory should be notified thatBartonellais suspected because special stains and prolonged incubation are necessary. Treatmentof bacillary angiomatosis is with oralerythromycin500 mg every 6 hours or oraldoxycycline100 mg every 12 hours, continued for at least 3 months. Fluoroquinolones andazithromycinare alternatives. 