Karposi's Sarcoma?

Question

I am a mixed-race female 20 years old, about 6-months ago I noticed a pinkish purple-ish bruise like patch on my leg over the following weeks a second patch grew next to it and became the same size...they are both about 6mm across . They do not fade when pressed.

Since that time they do not appear to have grown, i'm going to make a doctor's appointment this week for the patches and HIV test.

My last HIV test was in August last year and was negative.

I now believe my last sexual partner (a man) who I last slept with in February may have been bi-sexual, i've had not partners since then... but the thing is I don't know what the likelyhood is of this being KS is, if anyone knows their experiance would be appreciated.

Answer 1

By all means see the doctor about the spots and about getting checked for HIV.

I wouldn't lose sleep about these spots meaning that you have HIV per se, however. Kaposi's sarcoma in the setting of HIV/AIDS occurs after someone's been infected by HIV for years and years and consequently their CD4 count is quite low. Since you were HIV negative in August, this wouldn't be the case for you.

Nonetheless, you COULD well have HIV anyway - generally HIV tests turn positive within six months of exposure so a negative HIV test in August means that you weren't exposed to HIV from the time you were born up until roughly Feburary. It's less reliable in determining if you were infected AFTER Feburary.

Interestingly, you COULD well have Kaposi's as well although it's quite unlikely. Elderly Mediterranen men can get it without have HIV and Africans can also get it without HIV.

So by all means, see the doctor about these issues. Just don't lose any sleep over it.