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Case Reports
. 1985 Apr;178(4):653-5.
doi: 10.3181/00379727-178-4-rc3.

Retrovirus-like particles in salivary glands, prostate and testes of AIDS patients

G Lecatsas, S Houff, A Macher, E Gelman, R Steis, C Reichert, H Masur, J L Sever
Case Reports

Retrovirus-like particles in salivary glands, prostate and testes of AIDS patients

G Lecatsas et al. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1985 Apr.

Abstract

AIDS associated retrovirus-like particles were identified in the salivary gland, prostate and/or testicle of two AIDS patients. These findings further suggest that saliva and semen may transmit the infection to susceptible individuals.

PIP: This article presents electronmicroscopy evidence of retrovirus-like particles with bar shaped cores in salivary and prostate glands as well as testicles of 2 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. The 1st case, a 38-year old black male homosexual, presented in 1982 with diarrhea, malabsorption, and weight loss. In the following 1 1/2 years, he experienced recurrent Candida esophagitis, cutaneous and pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and cytomegalovirus. Autopsy in 1984 revealed residual Kaposi's sarcoma, disseminated cytomegalovirus, and M avium-intracellulare. The 2nd case, a 31-year old white male homosexual, presented in 1984 with Pneumocystis carinii penumonia and subsequently developed persistent fever, hepatomegaly, headaches, blurred vision, progressive liver function deterioration, and disseminated histoplasmosis infection. Autopsy in 1984 revealed an overwhelming disseminated histoplasmosis infection. Tissues taken at postmortem were examined by electron microscopy. Particles that conformed with the morphologic characteristics of AIDS retrovirus (a size of about 140 nm, a round shape with a double membrane, and an elongated core) were detected in the prostate gland of patient 2 and in the salivary glands and testes of both patients. This finding suggests that saliva and semen may be body fluids by which transmission of the AIDS virus occurs.

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