Coincidence of deficient delayed hypersensitivity and intestinal protozoa in homosexual men

Stool samples of 134 subjectively and apparently healthy male homosexual volunteers were studied, and in 86 men (64.2%) 190 parasite infestations, up to 6 per host, were identified. The most frequent species were Endolimax nana (40), Entamoeba coli (38), Entamoeba histolytica (34), Entamoeba hartmanni (32), and Iodamoeba bütschlii (22); Cryptosporidium was not found. All 11 isolates of Entamoeba histolytica analysed belonged to a noninvasive zymodeme: 10 were of zymodeme I and I of zymodeme III. In 172 healthy control adults 6 parasite infestations were found. In the homosexual men, a negative tuberculin test was more frequent in the presence than in the absence of parasites. Entamoeba histolytica (p = 0.005) Entamoeba coli (p = 0.013) and Iodamoeba bütschlii (p = 0.004) were associated with the anergy.