title: Intestinal parasitic infection and other sexually transmitted diseases in asymptomatic homosexual men.
abstract: 76/133 (57%) asymptomatic homosexual men harboured intestinal parasites. Of these, 40 had Entamoeba histolytica or Giardia lamblia, or both. In a control group of heterosexual men, no pathogenic protozoa were found. Stool specimen cultures for Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter were negative. 7% of the homosexual men were infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the pharynx or rectum, or both, and 5% with Chlamydia trachomatis in the urethra or rectum. Serological evidence of syphilis was detected in 18 men (13.5%) of whom 2 were untreated. Serological markers of hepatitis A were found in 20% and of hepatitis B in 48%. The prevalence of antibodies to cytomegalovirus was higher in homosexual than in heterosexual men (88% versus 59%).
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000635:transmission; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000635:transmission; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000635:transmission; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000635:transmission; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000635:transmission; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000635:transmission; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000635:transmission; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D013587:Syphilis / Q000635:transmission