Attempted immune stimulation in the "gay compromise syndrome"

A new syndrome of unknown etiology, characterised by acquired immunodeficiency and a high mortality from opportunistic infection and Kaposi's sarcoma, is affecting the American homosexual population, with isolated reports from elsewhere mainly implicating recent contact with men who had lived i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ 1982-10, Vol.285 (6348), p.1082-1082
Main Authors: Oswald, G A, Theodossi, A, Gazzard, B G, Byrom, N A, Fisher-Hoch, S P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Amyl Nitrite
Cytomegalovirus
Homosexuality
Hospital units
Humans
Immunization
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes - etiology
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes - therapy
Infections
Lymphocytes
Male
Male homosexuality
Nitrates
Opportunistic infections
Short Reports
Substance-Related Disorders
T lymphocytes
Test ranges
Thymus Extracts - immunology
Thymus hormones
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Description
Summary:A new syndrome of unknown etiology, characterised by acquired immunodeficiency and a high mortality from opportunistic infection and Kaposi's sarcoma, is affecting the American homosexual population, with isolated reports from elsewhere mainly implicating recent contact with men who had lived in or visited America. Abuse of amyl nitrate and chronic infection with cytomegalovirus are other suggested risk factors. The authors report on an English homosexual with no known American contact who abused amyl nitrate on a regular basis and subsequently developed this syndrome. Immune stimulation with thymic hormone extract produced only a short-lived relative lymphocytosis.
ISSN:0007-1447
0267-0623
0959-8138
1468-5833
DOI:10.1136/bmj.285.6348.1082