What does the HIV rash look like?

Q - What does the HIV rash look like?

A - The typical HIV rash is slightly raised, small and dark in colour. In medical terms, it is called a maculopapular rash.

Q - What parts of the body does it affect?

A - It can affect any part of the body but usually affects the face and trunk and occasionally the hands and feet. Sometimes, there could be ulcers in the mouth or genitals.

Q - What does the HIV rash look like in Blacks?

A - They are also raised but because of the skin colour they may not appear red. Instead they may appear dark brown or black. All other characteristics are essentially the same.

Q - When does it appear in the disease?

A - The HIV rash is a symptom of the primary infection. It usually appears at the time of sero-conversion about 2 to 3 weeks after infection with the virus. But it could appear much later.

Q - What is the significance of the HIV rash?

A - The importance of the hiv rash is that it occurs around the time of sero-conversion. This means that if HIV is present, then the chances of testing positive after the rash appears is high.

Q - How long does the rash last?

A - It is transient. It lasts for a few days to about 2 weeks. It is absent during the long asymptomatic phase of the illness.

Q - Does the HIV rash always appear in HIV positive patients?

A - No! It is not a constant. It is a common feature but it's not always there.

Q - What other symptoms accompany the HIV rash?

A - Other symptoms that may appear at the same time as the rash include: fever, diarrhoea, enlarged lymph nodes, headaches, white patches in the mouth (oral thrush) and muscle aches (myalgias).

Q - What are the other causes of a skin rash in HIV positive people?

A - HIV positive people can also have conditions that could cause rashes. The commonly encountered ones include Molluscum contagiosum, Herpes Simplex and Herpes Zoster infections, drug eruptions, and Kaposi sarcoma lesions.

Q - What does the drug induced HIV rash look like?

A - HIV positive people can have drug eruptions and present with raised reddish lesions that resemble rashes and cover the whole body. This is commonly as a result of reaction to Co-trimoxazole used for the treatment of PCP pneumonia in AIDS patients.