ABSTRACT
The most common group of drugs responsible for cutaneous hypersensitivity eruptions are antimicrobials used to treat or protect against opportunistic infections. Cutaneous drug reactions are usually mild although severe eruptions such as erythema multiforme (EM), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) can occur. Porteous and Berger described patients with aquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex who experienced severe cutaneous drug reactions including EM, SJS, and TEN. Foscarnet is indicated for acyclovir-resistant mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infections and is also used for the treatment of cytomegalovirus disease, varicella zoster virus, and even human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself. Hypericin, a substance isolated from the herb St. John’s wort, has an extremely potent in vitro activity against HIV when photoactivated. Many HIV-positive patients receive anticonvulsants due to opportunistic infections such as cryptococcosis and toxoplasmosis causing central nervous system disease. In most cases, drug eruptions in HIV-positive individuals are mild to moderate in severity.
