title: Borderline immunodeficiency in male homosexuals: is life-style contributory?
abstract: Results of our study suggest that white Southern male homosexuals without clinical evidence of AIDS who patronize "gay bars" may have significant zinc deficiency and moderately depressed T-helper/T-suppressor cell ratios. No single causative factor could be identified to explain the significantly low zinc and elevated copper levels measured in whole blood, as well as the depressed OKT4/OKT8 cell ratios. Seventy-four percent of the homosexual male subjects were "recreational" drug abusers, 81% used inhalant nitrites routinely, and 41% routinely treated themselves with antibiotics. Eighty-one percent practiced active and/or passive penile-oral insertion, and 55.5% practiced both active and passive anal intercourse. Of the latter, 19% reported anal bleeding. Clinically inapparent, though statistically significant, borderline immunodeficiency and aberrant zinc and copper levels may be a consequence of multiple factors comprising the gay bar life-style.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc