Abstract
An outbreak of lymphadenopathy syndrome has been recorded since March 1983 among drug addicts in Milan. A retrospective survey documented the onset of symptoms in the first observed case in April 1982. The highest incidence of new cases was recorded in September-November 1983. Still December 1984, 113 (106 parental drug addicts, 7 homosexual men) subjects with LAS have been observed at our clinic. Most of them have had symptoms for at least 10 months; none developed overt AIDS. Immunological abnormalities such as lymphopenia, decreased OKT4+ cells absolute and relative counts, anergy to recall skin testing and elevated levels of IgG were present in the majority of these patients. Positivity for anti HTLV-III antibodies was firstly documented in sera collected in November 1981. The prevalence of anti HTLV-III antibodies peaked in November 1983, concomitantly with the peak of incidence of new cases of LAS. Antibodies can be detected in several subjects a few months before clinical manifestations of LAS became apparent.
| Translated title of the contribution | Generalized and persistent lymphadenopathy: Clinical and epidemiologic correlations in a group of drug addicts |
|---|---|
| Original language | Italian |
| Pages (from-to) | 141-154 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Immunologia Clinica e Sperimentale |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 1985 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy