Osteolytic lesions in a patient living with HIV

Authors

  • Vitor Cardoso Pereira Machado Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas - São Paulo/SP, Brasil
  • Beatriz Gomes Rodrigues Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas - São Paulo/SP, Brasil
  • Giap Passos Figueiredo Pereira Gomes Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas - São Paulo/SP, Brasil
  • Jamal Muhamad Abdul Hamid Suleiman Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas - São Paulo/SP, Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5935/2764-734X.e20250353

Keywords:

Headings: AIDS-related Opportunistic Infections, Kaposi’s Sarcoma, Osteoarticular Tuberculosis, Human Herpesvirus 8, Case report

Abstract

This case report describes a 22-year-old HIV-infected male patient with pulmonary and skin complaints, whose initial computed tomography images showed lytic lesions on the sternum, scapula, and vertebral bodies as well as on the skullcap, iliac bone, sacrum, humerus, tibia, and femur, immediately raising the suspicion of a metastatic neoplasm or multiple myeloma. Pulmonary tuberculosis (with preserved sensitivity to rifampicin) was diagnosed through the sputum, and a skin biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma. However, the bone biopsy of the sternum was inconclusive - although it ruled out any type of neoplastic infiltration, it was unable to confirm tuberculosis or sarcoma in that topography. The patient ran away from hospital before the investigation progressed toward a definitive diagnosis, but a brief review of the literature highlights the possibility of opportunistic etiologies causing osteolytic lesions in HIV/AIDS patients.

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Published

2025-05-09

How to Cite

Machado, V. C. P., Rodrigues, B. G., Gomes, G. P. F. P., & Suleiman, J. M. A. H. (2025). Osteolytic lesions in a patient living with HIV. Infections in Evidence, 4, e20250353. https://doi.org/10.5935/2764-734X.e20250353

Issue

Vol. 4 (2025)

Section

Case Reports

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