Immunosuppression in homosexual men seronegative for HTLV-III.
Clinical, microbiological, and lifestyle patterns in homosexual men showing in vitro immunological abnormalities were studied and related to the susceptibility to human T-lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III) infection. In a cohort of male homosexual volunteers in Finland, 90% were HTLV-III antibody negative. Ten % of the HTLV-III negative cases showed decreased T-helper/suppressor cell ratios, mostly due to elevated numbers of T-suppressor cells. In this immunosuppressed group, more signs of diarrhea, intestinal giardiasis, genital warts, and hepatitis B were observed than in the other HTLV-III antibody-negative study subjects. The type of sexual practice was not associated with the in vitro immune abnormalities. During a follow-up of up to 16 months, 4 initially HTLV-III antibody negative cases showed seroconversion. Three of these had inverted T-helper/suppressor cell ratios prior to the seroconversion. It is concluded that persons showing in vitro immunosuppression are more susceptible to HTLV-III infection when being exposed to the virus or else alteration in T-cell subsets signals a pre-antibody-positive or early phase of HTLV-III infection.
Ranki
A
A
Valle
S L
SL
Antonen
J
J
Suni
J
J
Jokipii
L
L
Jokipii
A M
AM
Saxinger
C
C
Krohn
K
K
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D005387:Finland; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000453:epidemiology; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D014860:Warts / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies