HIV-related discrimination.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Tindall.
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Between January 1, and October 31, 1987, 420 homosexual men who participated in a cohort study of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) completed a questionnaire that examined their sexual practices during the previous six months. Of the subjects, 205 (48.8%) men were HIV-seropositive and 215 (51.2%) men were HIV-seronegative. Although there was an appreciable level of condom usage in both groups, 13.5% of the HIV-seronegative men had engaged in unprotected receptive anal intercourse and 6.3% of the HIV-seropositive men had engaged in unprotected insertive anal intercourse. Condom breakage was reported on approximately 6% of occasions by a minority of subjects. Among subjects who were in a relationship with a regular male sexual partner, the most commonly reported sexual practices were deep kissing, mutual masturbation and receptive oral intercourse without ejaculation. No HIV-seronegative man engaged in unprotected receptive and/or insertive anal intercourse, receptive oral intercourse with ejaculation or receptive and/or insertive "fisting" with a regular partner who was HIV-seropositive. No HIV-seropositive man engaged in unprotected insertive anal intercourse to ejaculation with an HIV-seronegative partner, although they did so with partners who were HIV-seropositive or of unknown status. On multivariate analyses the subject's antibody status was found to be associated with receptive anal intercourse with a condom (P = 0.007) and mutual masturbation (P = 0.001), with HIV-seronegative men being more likely to practise either; no significant independent effect was associated with the partner's antibody status. These findings provide important information on the types and levels of sexual practices in a group of homosexual men after the recognition of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in this country.
By means of prospective cohort data from the Sydney AIDS Project, we report on 55 homosexual or bisexual men who have become infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as measured by the development of serum HIV antibodies (seroconversion). We have compared the sexual practices, recreational drug abuse, history of sexually-transmissible diseases, and antecedent immunological findings of the men who seroconverted with those of 588 subjects who persistently remained seronegative in the same time-period. The cumulative incidence rate of HIV infection over the three years of observation was 8.5%. The cumulative incidence rate ranged from less than 1% for the six months before August 1, 1984, to a peak of 5% in the six months before August 1, 1985. Of those subjects for whom we had data for the period of seroconversion, all but two of the subjects who seroconverted admitted to a recognized high-risk sexual practice in the six months before the first visit at which they were found to be seropositive. Univariate analysis found that men who seroconverted were significantly more likely to have had a greater number of recent sexual partners (relative risk per partner, 1.02; P less than 0.001), to have engaged in receptive anal intercourse (incidence rate ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-7.6; P = 0.01) and to have used nitrite inhalant (incidence rate ratio, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.2-5.9; P = 0.02) and amphetamine (incidence rate ratio, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.2-10.5; P less than 0.001) drugs. The men who seroconverted were significantly (incidence rate ratio, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2-6.1; P = 0.014) more likely to have antecedent T-suppressor-cell counts of greater than 800 cells/microL. Factors that retained significance in multivariate analysis were the number of recent sexual partners, recent amphetamine abuse and a T-suppressor-cell count of greater than 800 cells/microL.
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This report concerns three patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in whom malignant melanoma developed. One patient had metastatic malignant melanoma, one had iris melanoma, and one had a single skin melanoma. All three had lower absolute numbers of CD4+ cells than a control group, and the severity of their disease was inversely proportional to the absolute number of CD4+ cells. This report suggests an association between the immunodeficiency resulting from HIV infection and the development of malignant melanoma.
Three cases of oesophageal candidiasis in association with primary HIV infection are described. In each case the candidiasis was associated with a decreased number of circulating CD4+ cells and responded well to treatment with ketoconazole. Clinicians should be aware that severe opportunistic infections may develop during this stage of infection, presumably as a result of transient immunodeficiency. We argue that the definition of primary HIV infection should be extended to include severe opportunistic infections and neurologic presentations.
The present study was undertaken to determine T cell response to primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. No significant difference in T cell subsets was found between subjects who later seroconverted and a group of controls. Six subjects had multiple enumerations of T cell subsets done at the time of seroconversion. Initially, total lymphocyte and T cell subset counts were reduced. An inversion of the CD4+:CD8+ ratio due to a rise in the level of CD8+ cells was found later, followed by an appreciable increase in the number of CD8+ cells and further inversion of the CD4+:CD8+ ratio. Finally, the CD8+ cell count returned toward normal but remained higher than the CD4+ cell count; the inverted ratio was maintained. Lymphocyte hyporesponsiveness to mitogens and antigens was found during the seroconversion illness in one subject. In three of five subjects for whom data were available, an increase in the absolute number of CD8+ cells followed a decrease in the serum HIV antigen level.
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.
The Sydney AIDS Project is a prospective immunoepidemiological study of 996 homosexual/bisexual men enrolled between February 1984 and January 1985. By January 1987, 32 of 386 homosexual men who were seropositive at enrollment in the study had developed AIDS, yielding a crude progression rate of between 2.8% and 4.2% per annum. Of these subjects, 23 (72%) developed AIDS within 12 months of enrollment. In univariate analysis, the only lifestyle differences between seropositive subjects who progressed to AIDS and those that did not progress were less frequent oral sex activity and more use of marijuana in the three months prior to enrollment. In multivariate analysis, seropositive subjects who progressed to AIDS were more likely to have a lower percentage of CD4+ cells, a higher percentage of CD8+ cells and to have used marijuana in the three months prior to enrollment than the seropositive subjects who did not progress. No HIV seropositive subject who was asymptomatic and had normal T-cell subsets at enrollment had developed AIDS by January 1987. Persistent generalised lymphadenopathy was not associated with progression to AIDS. Although there are a number of lifestyle factors that may be associated with HIV infection, this study did not implicate most of these in the progression of HIV seropositive subjects to end-stage AIDS. We conclude that antecedent changes in T-cell subsets are associated with progression to AIDS and we emphasise the prognostic value of enumeration of T-cell subsets in HIV seropositive persons.
The identification of characteristic clinical, serologic, and immunologic responses to primary HIV infection has contributed greatly to our understanding of the natural history of HIV infection. Subjects usually present with a mononucleosis-like illness and during the period of primary infection there is a characteristic four-phase T cell response. Early serologic findings of infection include IgM antibody and free HIV p24 antigen. Tests for mononucleosis yield negative results, but atypical lymphocytosis may be present. We believe there are three primary goals for future research into primary HIV infection: to further define the features of this phase of infection, to develop early intervention strategies effective against HIV, and to further develop and foster education strategies that will prevent primary HIV infection.
The clinical and serologic features and immune status of 39 homosexual men who had seroconversion to human immunodeficiency virus positivity were compared with 26 homosexual men who remained seronegative during a six-month period. An acute clinical illness occurred in 92.3% of seroconverted subjects and 40% of controls. The duration of illness was significantly greater in the seroconverters than the controls (10 + 4.4 days). A general practitioner was consulted by 87.2% of the seroconverters because of the illness, including 12.8% who were admitted to hospital, compared with 20% of controls. The most frequently reported symptoms in the seroconversion group were fever (76.9%); lethargy and malaise (66.7%); anorexia, sore throat, and myalgias (56.4% each); headaches and arthralgias (48.7% each); weight loss (46.2%); swollen glands (43.5%); retro-orbital pain (38.5%); and dehydration and nausea (30.8% each). Lymphadenopathy developed in 75% of seroconverters compared with 4% of controls. Changes in T-cell subsets were not found in controls, but the number of T4+ cells and the T4+/T8+ ratio decreased significantly in seroconverters.
A survey of a cohort of 200 intravenous (IV) drug users drawn from five drug referral agencies was conducted in Sydney in 1985 and revealed only one heterosexual male with antibodies to AIDS retrovirus (ARV). Contact tracing of sexual and needle-sharing partners resulted in the referral of a further four out of six at-risk individuals seropositive for ARV. This study indicates that ARV has now reached the IV drug-using population and could be spread further among IV drug users by sexual contact and by needle-sharing. We conclude that exposure to ARV among IV drug users is in its earliest stages in Australia. There is an urgent need to introduce measures such as contact tracing and screening of IV drug users to prevent further spread of ARV in this risk group.
The Sydney AIDS Project is a prospective immunoepidemiological study of 911 homosexual and bisexual men enrolled between February 1984 and January 1985. Clinical, immunological, and serological studies are performed on these subjects every six months. At enrollment, 39.9% of subjects were seropositive for antibodies to AIDS retrovirus (ARV). Of these 352 seropositive subjects, 28.1% were symptomless with normal immune profiles, 23.6% were symptomless with an immunodeficiency, 18.8% had a clinical illness but normal immune profile, and 29.6% had a clinical illness and immunodeficiency. Of the symptomless subjects, 27.8% were seropositive for antibodies to ARV. Clinically, seropositivity was significantly associated with enlargement of three or more non-inguinal lymph node groups, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly. Immunologically, seropositivity was significantly associated with lower absolute numbers of lymphocytes and T4+ lymphocytes and a lower T4+ : T8+ ratio, compared with seronegative subjects. Seropositive subjects with a clinical illness had a significantly lower percentage of T4+ lymphocytes and lower T4+ : T8+ ratio than did those who were symptomless. However, the absolute number of T4+ cells was not significantly different between subjects with a clinical illness and those who were symptomless. Subjects whose sera were positive by immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay but were negative by radioimmune precipitation assay had a lower number and percentage of T4+ lymphocytes than subjects who were positive by all three tests. These results demonstrate a wide variety of clinical and immunological responses to ARV infection. Prospective study of these subjects will enable us to define further the natural history of ARV infection and factors associated with progression.
A case of transmission of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) associated retrovirus (ARV) by brachioproctic eroticism is described.
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