Herpes vegetans as a sign of HIV infection

Herpes progenitalis can present in bizarre ways when seen in conjunction with altered immune status. In the recent past, a small number of individuals have been described with herpes vegetans, an exophytic, proliferative lesion that resembles either a verrucous or malignant growth. This phenomenon can occur on the digits, genitalia or perioral skin. We present a case of a vegetating penile plaque attributed to herpesvirus in an HIV-positive patient.