AIDS May Be Hidden in Gay Men, Study Finds
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome may be more prevalent among homosexuals than most researchers now believe and some gay men may be carrying the AIDS virus and not even know it, scientists have found.
Dr. Alexandra M. Levine, a blood and cancer specialist at the USC School of Medicine, has found in a study of 27 homosexual men an alarming 48% death rate among victims who failed to show any classical signs of the immune system disorder.
“The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta has a very specific definition for AIDS,” Levine explained. “This is basically showing signs of certain infections or development of Kaposi’s sarcoma.”
Instead of classic signs for the disease, the study has revealed that AIDS victims may develop rare lymphomas--cancers of the lymphatic system--never before associated with the disease.
Burkitt’s lymphoma and immunoblastic sarcoma are the two major rare cancers which have occurred in victims studied at USC. They showed a prevalence of the cancers at a rate several times that seen in the general population.
“Lymphoma implies 10 to 15 different kinds of disease and in the general population these cancers occur most frequently among older people, primarily in their 60s.
“We have found that among homosexual men, the cancers are occurring in people who are much younger, primarily in their 20s and 30s. That has led us to believe the lymphomas are associated with the HTLV-3 virus--the same virus associated with AIDS.”
The USC study also has shown, that even though lymphomas tend to develop in the lymph nodes and glands of non-homosexuals, the cancers manifested in different sites in homosexual and bisexual men.
“In these individuals, the disease developed outside of the lymphatic system,” Levine said. “We found evidence of the disease in the rectum, brain and kidney.”
But Levine and her team of researchers also have studied 40 homosexual men with enlarged lymph nodes suffering a syndrome known as persistent generalized lymphadenopathy--or PGL.
“About 30% of the homosexual men who come to USC for treatment have enlarged lymph nodes,” Levine said. “I believe the condition is quite common for homosexual men who have probably been exposed to the HTLV-3 virus.
May Go On Long Time
“The data is consistent that PGL may be the usual illness caused by the virus, creating fever, sweats, weight loss, fatigue and big lymph nodes, and these symptoms may go on for years.”
For many patients, antibodies may be developed against the AIDS virus but because the virus is live, it can be passed onto others who have no defenses against it, Levine said.
“Live virus has been reported in the blood of PGL patients at the same time antibodies were present. Fortunately for many patients, PGL may go on for a long time and not progress into AIDS,” Levine said.
Levine said she believes that there are three stages that occur before development of AIDS--a stage she calls silent prior to viral exposure, PGL, and finally, the lymphomas or classic AIDS.
“I think the significance of the study is that as more physicians see more gay individuals, they will see more of these unusual lymphomas,” she said. “I see as many as two or three a week. The medical community must be aware that homosexuals are at risk for developing lymphomas and should be considered part of the spectrum of AIDS patients.”
Levine emphasized, however, that homosexuals are not genetically predisposed to AIDS and related disorders.
