Getting to the bottom of anal itch — a cautionary tale

Abstract

Peri-anal rash is common and may appear macroscopically benign. In HIV-positive men, however, more serious pathology may be revealed by a biopsy. The high prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in these men predisposes them to pre-cancerous lesions of the peri-anal and anal skin. We report an unusual case of dual pathology in the anal region, which highlights the need to thoroughly investigate peri-anal symptoms in HIV-positive men.