A 38-year-old openly homosexual man presented with cough and multiple asymptomatic skin lesions on his face. A chest radiograph was positive for nodular parenchymal infiltrates, most consistent with an infection from either acid-fast bacilli or fungi. The patient refused bronchoscopy, and his cough was not productive enough to obtain a reliable sputum specimen for culture.
Physical examination disclosed many small, flesh-colored, umbilicated papules. Although he did allow a skin biopsy, he subsequently refused therapy and left the hospital against medical advice. He was lost to further follow-up.
Hospital admission screening labs revealed a positive HIV serology and gross lymphopenia on CBC. What do you think his skin lesions represent?
