High rates of enteric protozoal infections in selected homosexual men attending a venereal disease clinic.

Stool specimens from 89 high-risk, sexually active homosexual men were screened for enteric protozoal cysts. Patients whose specimens contained nonpathogenic cysts were investigated further by examination of fresh purged specimens. A total of 27 of the initial specimens (30%) contained protozoal cysts. Twenty-three patients (26%) harbored pathogens. There were 18 cases (20%) of amebiasis and 11 cases (12%) of giardiasis. Six men (7%) had concurrent amebiasis and giardiasis. The presence of infections correlated with a history of anilingus but not with place of birth, travel, or history of symptoms. The exceptionally high rate of prevalence of intestinal protozoal infection in this population suggests that enteric protozoal infections are important among sexually transmitted diseases.

Transfusion malaria as a consequence of the 1974 war between Turkey and Greece--two cases.

Two cases of transfusion induced Plasmodium malariae malaria that occurred in August and September 1974 in New York City were direct results of the outbreak of war between Turkey and Greece on the island of Cyprus in July 1974. The cases could be traced to two Greek immigrants with latent infection (one being the longest ever recorded) who independently donated blood after solicitation for people in need living in the country of their ancestors. In view of current rules for donor acceptability, attention should be directed domestically towards careful surveillance for an increased occurrence of transfusion malaria.