Bacillary Angiomatosis in an Immunocompetent Child with a Grafted Traumatic Wound

Abstract

Bacillary angiomatosis is an infectious disease which usually develops in immunocompromised patients. Contact with cats is implicated in its pathogenesis. We report a seven-year-old immunocompetent boy with bacillary angiomatosis without a history of direct contact with cats. The clinical diagnosis of bacillary angiomatosis was made following histopathological examination of a biopsy sample from the infected facial wound, in the vicinity of which angiomatous lesions had developed. Surprisingly, similar lesions also appeared at the donor site of the skin graft which was grafted on the facial wound. This case demonstrates that bacillary angiomatosis may also be seen in immunocompetent patients and that it may contaminate wounds without the intermediary of cats.

Bacillary angiomatosis triggered by severe trauma in a healthy Caucasian patient: A case report

“…Bacillary angiomatosis was first described several decades before in HIV-positive patients (13) as an opportunistic infection, but it may also occur in the context of other conditions that may impair the immune status, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (11,14,15), chemotherapy (16), systemic corticotherapy (17), solid organ transplantation (18)(19)(20), hepatitis B infection (3). Nevertheless, immunocompetent patients can be affected by this cutaneous disorder (6,17,(21)(22)(23)(24). It can also appear in pediatric patients (20,24,25).…”

“…Nevertheless, immunocompetent patients can be affected by this cutaneous disorder (6,17,(21)(22)(23)(24). It can also appear in pediatric patients (20,24,25).…”

Bacillary angiomatosis with atypical clinical presentation in an immunocompetent patient

“…[1,2] Most patients with BA have been exposed to cats. [1][2][3][4][5]12,13] We describe an atypical case of BA in an immunocompetent woman with no previous exposure to cats.…”

“…[2] There are very few reported cases of BA in immunocompetent patients. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] The skin is the most frequently affected site, presenting as papules, warts, pedunculated and subcutaneous nodules (rarely ulcerated or bleeding), or hyperkeratotic plaques. [1,2] Most patients with BA have been exposed to cats.…”

“…[1,2] BA usually affects immunosuppressed hosts, especially HIV-infected patients with a decrease in the CD4 lymphocyte count. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Hepatic peliosis is exclusively associated with B. henselae infection. BA caused by B. quintana can develop lytic bone lesions and subcutaneous masses.…”