Amebiasis

Abstract

During a five-year period at The New York Hospital,Entamoeba histolyticawas identified in the stools of 20 men who had not traveled outside the New York area. All of these patients were found subsequently to be homosexual. During this same period amebiasis was diagnosed in 30 men who had traveled; only two were homosexual. Of ten patients withE histolyticainfection seen during the first year of this study, none were homosexual whereas eight of 11 patients in the fifth year were homosexual, suggesting a gradual increase during this period of this disease in the homosexual community. (JAMA238:1386-1387, 1977)