Bruises which appears to be unrelated to any trauma or are larger or more severe than normal can occur in HIV infection. This may be associated with other problems such as frequent nose bleeds or bleeding from the gums when brushing your teeth.

Causes

The cause is usually the result of a low number of certain blood cells (platelets) which are essential for normal clotting. Low platelets (thrombocytopenia) may be caused by the direct effects of HIV or certain drug treatments on the bone marrow, or by a range of illnesses including lymphoma, MAI, Leishmaniasis and other infections and tumours.

What to do

It is important to seek urgent medical advice as thrombocytopenia carries a risk of internal bleeding. AZT and possibly other anti-HIV drugs may be very effective in treating HIV-related thrombocytopenia. If the condition is caused by underlying infections or tumours, treating these will be an important part of alleviating the problem. If the condition is drug-induced, the problematic therapy should be reviewed.