Bacillary epithelioid angiomatosis (BEA). BEA is an unusual infection characterized by multiple, tender, red, vascular lesions of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by Bartonella henselae, a species closely related to the organisms that cause “cat scratch” disease. This agent is sensitive to a variety of systemic antibiotics, including erythromycin and tetracycline. The vascular proliferative lesions of BEA are most frequently seen in the skin, but the infection can also occur subcutaneously and can involve the internal organs and bones in patients with AIDS. These skin lesions may clinically resemble those of Kaposi’s sarcoma, although histologically, BEA is more similar to pyogenic granuloma than to Kaposi’s sarcoma. The causative organisms of BEA are readily detectable in specially stained tissue sections with Warthin‐Starry stain. The skin lesions of BEA can also mimic the skin eruption associated with verruca peruana because of infection with another Bartonella sp. Because BEA can be fatal, early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate antibiotic treatment can be life‐saving.