Gastrointestinal viral infections in homosexual men who were symptomatic and seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus.
Gastrointestinal viruses, predominantly rotaviruses and adenoviruses, were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, electron microscopy, or cell culture in greater than 50% of two groups of homosexual men with symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, who did (54%) or did not (50%) have diarrhea. Lower detection rates were observed in HIV-seronegative (15%) and asymptomatic HIV-seropositive (16%) men. In the patients with diarrhea, 95% of the isolates of virus were found in the most immunosuppressed patients, those patients with AIDS-related complex or opportunistic infections associated with AIDS. High excretion rates of these viruses are probably associated with both anal-oral transmission and immunosuppression. These viruses apparently cause acute episodes or relapses of diarrhea in some patients but may be co-pathogens or noncontributory to chronic diarrhea in others.
Cunningham
A L
AL
Department of Virology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Grohman
G S
GS
Harkness
J
J
Law
C
C
Marriott
D
D
Tindall
B
B
Cooper
D A
DA
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009663:Norwalk virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification