Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a genodermatosis characterized by widespread and persistent cutaneous lesions caused by beta-papillomaviruses. Rare cases of acquired EV-like eruption associated with beta-papillomavirus infection have been reported in immunosuppressed patients. We report a case of acquired EV-like eruption in an immunosuppressed patient with adult T-cell leukemia. The cutaneous lesions clinically resembled pityriasis versicolor and exhibited the typical histological features of EV, but in some areas of the same biopsy specimen characteristic homogeneous intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed. Although beta-papillomavirus was not detected by highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction, a putative novel type of gamma-papillomavirus was identified. This is the first documentation of an association between EV-like eruption and gamma-papillomavirus infection.
(c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.