Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0021051 (immunodeficiency)
 71,517 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The objective was to measure the gender-specific differences for syphilis and for the sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a cross-sectional analysis of injecting drug users (IDUs) admitted to detoxification between February 1987 and January 1990. HIV was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed with Western blot. For syphilis reactive samples to a rapid plasma reagent (RPR) were confirmed with treponemal tests (FTA-ABS or MHA-TP). Of the 386 heterosexual IDUs, 68% were HIV-positive and 4.7% had serologic syphilis (RPR and FTA-ABS or MHA-TP positive). Syphilis was higher in women (12%) than in men (3%), and women reported a significantly (P < 0.001) higher number of sex partners. Men had an IDU as a sex partner more often than women did (P = 0.001). Serologic syphilis in women was associated with having had more than one sexual partner in the previous year (P = 0.028) but this association was not present in men. HIV infection was not associated with syphilis in male IDUs. However, HIV was present in all women with syphilis that reported more than one partner.
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PMID:Syphilis in injecting drug users: clues for high-risk sexual behaviour in female IDUs. 914 54

From 1 February 1993 to 1 February 1994 all new patients, known patients with new problems, and prostitutes attending the Outpatient Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) of the University Hospital Rotterdam were asked to participate in unlinked anonymous human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and to answer some questions. Data from the medical records of 300 patients refusing to participate were compared with self-reported data obtained from 2701 people accepting, to verify if the HIV seroprevalence among accepters could be representative for all STD department visitors. Men refusing were more often of foreign origin, had more often had more than one partner during the previous 6 months, more often attended the STD department for the first time, and more often had an STD diagnosed than men accepting. Women refusing were more often of foreign origin, had less often had more than one partner during the previous 6 months, and had more often used drugs intravenously than women accepting. Because most findings associated with refusing are also associated with being infected with HIV, the HIV seroprevalence among refusers is likely to be higher than among accepters. We therefore advise unlinked anonymous HIV testing of all patients visiting an STD department.
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PMID:Comparison of patients refusing with patients accepting unlinked anonymous HIV testing in an outpatient STD department in The Netherlands. 917 46

A program to control sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was undertaken during a Men's Health Week in a remote Aboriginal community in Western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. A total of 151 men aged 13 years and over who attended over a five-day period underwent a full physical examination, and first-void urine specimens were tested for the presence of leukocytes, chlamydia (by enzyme immunoassay antigen detection) and gonorrhoea (by culture and antigen detection). Blood was taken for syphilis serology from all patients and for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from patients with a proven STD or at the patient's request. Consent for testing was obtained from all participants. Patients with a positive urinary leukocyte test or symptoms were offered urethral swab investigations and treated empirically according to a set protocol. Patients with STDs detected by subsequent laboratory investigations were followed up and treated. The overall prevalence of one or more of syphilis, gonorrhoea or chlamydia was 17.4 per cent. No men presented with genitourinary symptoms and none was HIV-infected. In this population, STDs were an important cause of morbidity, and a community-based approach was adopted to identify infected persons. The use of urine for the detection of gonorrhoea and chlamydia was highly acceptable. Although not used in this study, polymerase chain reaction and ligase chain reaction technology will facilitate similar activities in the future.
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PMID:A community-based approach to the control of sexually transmitted diseases in the Northern Territory. 934 98

CD4 cell counts and blood plasma and seminal plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) concentrations were compared in HIV-1 RNA-seropositive men with urethritis and with or without genital ulcer disease (GUD). GUD was associated with lower CD4 cell counts (median, 258 vs. 348/microL) and increased blood plasma HIV-1 RNA (median, 240 x 10[3] vs. 79.4 x 10[3] copies/mL). Men with nongonococcal urethritis and GUD shed significantly greater quantities of HIV-1 in semen (median, 195 x 10[3] vs. 4.0 x 10[3] copies/mL) than men with nongonococcal urethritis without GUD. These levels decreased approximately 4-fold following antibiotic therapy. The results indicate an association between GUD and increased blood HIV-1 RNA levels. Increased HIV-1 in semen was demonstrated in some men with GUD; such an increase could lead to increased transmission, thus complicating interpretation of the role of the genital ulcer itself in the infectiousness of HIV. Reasons for increased HIV RNA in semen in men with GUD remain to be determined.
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PMID:Association of CD4 cell depletion and elevated blood and seminal plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA concentrations with genital ulcer disease in HIV-1-infected men in Malawi. 941 94

Cross-sectional associations between human papillomavirus (HPV), anal squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were studied in a cohort of gay men. HPV DNA was detected by generic and type-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) probes and hybrid capture assay (HC). HPV virus load was estimated by HC relative light unit (RLU) ratio. HPV prevalence, number of HPV types detected, and HC RLU ratios were each greater in HIV-positive than HIV-negative participants. Further, among HIV-positive men, HC RLU ratio was inversely associated with CD4 cell count. SIL was more frequent in HIV-positive participants, particularly those with a CD4 cell count <200/microL and was positively associated with HPV. Men with a high HC RLU ratio were nearly 3 times more likely to have SIL than were those both PCR- and HC-negative. These data support that HIV augments HPV-associated anal disease in this population.
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PMID:Human papillomavirus, anal squamous intraepithelial lesions, and human immunodeficiency virus in a cohort of gay men. 965 22

Partner notification as a means of contact tracing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons remains controversial. It is argued against by many gay activists, while primary public health officials and leaders in ethnic communities continue to support this as a means of identifying unknown cases. Human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients were interviewed to determine if partner notification could be a useful instrument. Based on interviews, patients at risk of infection through heterosexual contact were able to identify most of their sexual partners; the majority of these patients were women. Twenty-two of 22 women infected heterosexually were able to identify all of their sexual partners. Five of 8 heterosexual men were able to identify all of their sexual partners, but these men were infected through intravenous drug use. Six of 44 homosexual men interviewed were able to make these identifications. Two focus groups of homosexual men who were HIV-positive patients were organized; each was asked one question. Men in group B were asked if they could identify HIV-positive persons whom they suspected were not in a treatment program. Men in group A were asked if they they thought they knew HIV-positive persons still practicing unsafe sex. Thirteen of the 14 patients in group A were able to identify 30 persons they felt were still practicing unsafe sex; 17 of 30 tested HIV-positive and 9 were unaware of their status. The 14 patients in group B identified 15 persons they felt were HIV-positive; 11 were found to be HIV-positive and 8 were unaware of their status. These findings suggest that partner notification definitely has a role in heterosexual contact tracing, and focused intervention is a more cost-effective approach to early intervention.
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PMID:Partner notification and focused intervention as a means of identifying HIV-positive patients. 977 Sep 54

The prison population is a high-risk group for tuberculosis (TB). This investigation aimed to study predictive factors of treatment adherence among prisoners involved in a pilot programme of supervised treatment. The study included TB patients from the Men's Penitentiary Center of Barcelona (MPCB) in 1995. Directly observed therapy (DOT) was carried out in the infirmary or in a methadone programme. Released prisoners were referred to the municipal maintenance methadone programmes (MMP) and other social resources. Incentives and enablers were used to improve compliance (economic aid for nutritional and housing needs, methadone programmes and admittance to a sociosanitary centre). The outcome of the patients' adherence was classified as follows: completed, defaulted, dead or transferred out. Factors associated with adherence were investigated through logistic regression. The programme included 62 patients, 43 of whom were intravenous drug users (IVDU) and 46 were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Nineteen had previously had TB and 32 were released from prison during TB treatment. Overall adherence was 89%; 97% among those who completed treatment in prison, and 79% among those who completed treatment outside prison (p=0.05). Ninety-five per cent of IVDU in an MMP completed treatment. Homeless or alcoholic exprisoners completed treatment only if they were admitted to sociosanitary centres. DOT throughout treatment resulted in better adherence (odds ratio (OR)= 16.80; confidence interval (CI): 2.42-116.2)). Those who were incarcerated throughout treatment also showed better adherence (OR= 7.36; CI: 0.79-48.16). Antituberculosis treatment adherence in prisoners was high even after release with adequate co-ordination among intrapenitentiary and extrapenitentiary programmes. Maintenance methadone programmes proved very useful in intravenous drug users, as did admittance to sociosanitary centres for indigent or alcoholic exprisoners undergoing treatment.
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PMID:Predictors of adherence to tuberculosis treatment in a supervised therapy programme for prisoners before and after release. Study Group of Adherence to Tuberculosis Treatment of Prisoners. 981 77

The objectives of the study were (a) to investigate the characteristics of drug abuse treatment clients who return to treatment and (b) among those with readmissions, to describe changes over time in risk behavior for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and to identify factors associated with behavior change. Data were derived from a multisite HIV surveillance program in a single community; the program used a unique identifier to link HIV test results and behavioral information from multiple contacts. During a 30-month period, 1994 clients were admitted to three satellite facilities of a single treatment agency: detoxification, long-term residential, and outpatient. Of these clients, 574 (29%) had one or more readmissions to the same or a different facility during the 24 months following the index admission. Drug injectors, those tested for HIV, and those living in the community were more likely to be readmitted to treatment. There was little overall change in HIV risk behavior between the index admission and the readmission furthest in time from the index admission. Clients whose index visit was at the residential facility were more likely to reduce their injection risk behavior than those admitted to the other facilities. Clients readmitted to either the residential or the outpatient facility were more likely to have reduced their injection risk behavior than those readmitted to detoxification. Treatment facility was not associated with sexual risk behavior change. Men were more likely than women to reduce their high-risk sexual behaviors. The results underscore the need for treatment programs to make HIV testing readily available to their clients and to make special efforts to assist female clients to reduce their HIV risk.
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PMID:Readmissions to drug abuse treatment and HIV risk behavior. 984 66

The objective of this study was to verify the mode of exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among cases who obtained acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) through heterosexual contact and to determine the proportion of cases initially reported with no risk but whose exposure may have been heterosexual. Adults aged > or = 13 years with AIDS, diagnosed from 1992 through 1995 with heterosexual risk or no risk at six US study sites (Alabama, California, Florida, New Jersey, New York City, and Texas), were eligible. Heterosexual risk was validated in 82% (1,610/1,952) of the heterosexual cases. Men were more likely than women to have a risk other than heterosexual (24% vs. 13%, chi2 p < 0.01). An HIV risk was identified for 351 (55%) of those cases with no risk, and men were more likely than women to remain without risk (48% vs. 38%, chi2 P = 0.02). Of the 415 men with no risk, 215 (52%) were reclassified: 94 (44%) were men who had sex with men, 61 (28%) were injection drug users, 48 (22%) had a heterosexual risk, and 12 (6%) had other exposures. Of the 219 women with no risk, 136 (62%) were reclassified: 82 (60%) had a heterosexual risk, 47 (35%) were injection drug users, and 6 (4%) had infection associated with transfusion. In conclusion, most cases reported with heterosexually acquired AIDS had valid heterosexual risk exposures.
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PMID:Is there really a heterosexual AIDS epidemic in the United States? Findings from a multisite validation study, 1992-1995. Mode of Transmission Validation Study Group. 1045 21

Bloom's syndrome (BS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of humans characterized by severe pre- and postnatal growth deficiency, immunodeficiency, genomic instability, and a predisposition to a wide variety of neoplasms. The genomic instability is evidenced in BS somatic cells as a high incidence of gaps and breaks, chromatid exchanges, chromosome rearrangements, and locus-specific mutations. BS arises from a mutation in BLM, a gene encoding a protein with homology to the RecQ helicase family. Men with BS are sterile; women have reduced fertility and a shortened reproductive span. The current immunocytological study on mouse spermatocytes shows that the BLM protein is first evident as discrete foci along the synaptonemal complexes (SCs) of homologously synapsed autosomal bivalents in late zygonema of meiotic prophase. BLM foci progressively dissociate from the synapsed autosomal axes during early pachynema and are no longer seen in mid-pachynema. BLM colocalizes with the single-stranded DNA binding replication protein A, which has been shown to be involved in meiotic synapsis. However, there is a temporal delay in the appearance of BLM protein along the SCs relative to replication protein A, suggesting that BLM is required for a late step in processing of a subset of genomic DNA involved in establishment of interhomologue interactions in early meiotic prophase. In late pachynema and into diplonema, BLM is more dispersed in the nucleoplasm, especially over the chromatin most intimately associated with the SCs, suggesting a possible involvement of BLM in resolution of interlocks in preparation for homologous chromosome disjunction during anaphase I.
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PMID:Bloom's syndrome protein, BLM, colocalizes with replication protein A in meiotic prophase nuclei of mammalian spermatocytes. 1031 34


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