[Bacteremia and recurrent arthritis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes in a heroin addict with AIDS]. / Bacteriemia y artritis recurrente por Streptococcus pyogenes en un heroinómano con SIDA.

BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pyogenes is a bacteria which, at present, is seldom isolated in blood and articular fluid. An intravenous drug addict with human immunodeficiency virus infection, with bacteremia and arthritis by S. pyogenes, associated with tuberculosis is presented. METHODS: Blood and articular fluid cultures were collected in the usual and Löwenstein-Jensen media. RESULTS: The patient improved with penicillin and tuberculostatic drugs. Nine months after this episode, the patient reinitiated intravenous drug addiction, and developed another presentation of bacteremia and arthritis by S. pyogenes. CONCLUSIONS: Heroin addict patients constitute a risk group for bacteremias ans severe infections by S. pyogenes.

[Bacillary angiomatosis: report of 2 cases]. / Angiomatosis bacilar: a propósito de 2 casos.

BACKGROUND: Epithelioid bacillary angiomatosis (EBA) was studied as an infectious disease associated to immunosuppressive states, establishing the bases for performing differential diagnosis with other pathologic processes. METHODS: Two new cases of EBA in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) are presented. Diagnosis was performed by anatomopathologic study of the cutaneous lesions which had undergone biopsy. RESULTS: In one of the cases bacillary structures were observed under electron microscopy. This patient also presented Kaposi sarcoma (KS) with histologic study being therefore necessary to perform differential diagnosis between these pathologic processes. Both patients presented good response to treatment with erythromycin. CONCLUSIONS: 1) EBA is an infectious disease of good prognosis with antibiotic treatment which fundamentally affects severely immunosuppressed patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. 2) Biopsy is the only differential diagnostic method for this disease with other processes with similar clinical appearance and different prognosis as in Kaposi sarcoma which may even coexist in these patients.