Exposure to Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type III/Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus and Immunologic Abnormalities in Asymptomatic Homosexual Men

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Abstract
Immunologic and serologic studies were done in 120 homosexual men who reportedly had no symptoms related to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Forty-nine men (41%) had antibody to the retrovirus human to lymphotropic virus type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus (HTLV-III/LAV) and 37(31%) had an abnormal T cell subset ratio and other immunologic abnormalities. These abnormalities were almost exclusively confined to men seropositive for the retrovirus.Multivariate statistical analysis showed that exposure to HTLV-III/LAV was the single best predictor of T cell (and other) immunologic abnormalities. Sexual practice, particularly receptive anal intercourse, predicted exposure to HTLV-III/LAV but was not independently related to T cell abnormalities. The association of other microbial serologic findings with HTLV-III/LAV seropositivity or T cell changes was a coincidental function of sexual activity. Immunologic abormalities in asymptomatic homosexual men are mostly related to exposure to HTLV-III/LAV.