What it means
Named after Moritz Kaposi, the Hungarian dermatologist who described it. It is caused by human herpesvirus 8 and forms purple, red or brown patches or lumps on the skin, inside the mouth, or in the lymph nodes, lungs and gut. It is most often seen in people with AIDSAYDZAcquired immunodeficiency syndrome: the most advanced stage of HIV infection, when the immune system is badly damaged.Full entry , for whom it is an AIDS-defining illness, and in people taking drugs that suppress the immune system after a transplant.
For the nurse
Look in the mouth and over the whole skin of clients with HIV, and teach that taking antiretroviral therapy as prescribed is the main way to prevent and control it.
At a glance
| Also written | Kaposi's sarcoma |
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Related terms
immunodeficiency
A state in which the immune system is weaker than normal and cannot fight infection well.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus: a virus that infects and destroys immune cells called CD4 T cells.
AIDS
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: the most advanced stage of HIV infection, when the immune system is badly damaged.