title: Damage to jejunal intrinsic autonomic nerves in HIV infection.
abstract: Jejunal biopsies from 11 HIV-infected male homosexuals, without secondary enteropathogen infection, were examined at ultrastructural and light microscope level. Subjects were clinically categorized into four groups: asymptomatic (3), AIDS-related complex (4), persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (1), and AIDS (3). All 11 biopsies, including the three from asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals, showed extensive damage to autonomic nerve fibres in the lamina propria. These findings show that HIV infection damages the enteric autonomic nerves. Since asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals had similar damage, this appears to be an early event in the course of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicable Diseases, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Batman
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pinching
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mathan
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000473:pathology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000294:innervation* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged