Slim Disease: A New Disease in Uganda and Its Association With HTLV-Iii Infection

Further experience with Kaposi's sarcoma in Uganda

“…Patients were randomized to receive one of the following regimens intravenously every 3 weeks (Olweny, 1981;Olweny et al, 1974; Antibodies to HTLV-III were tested by a competitive ELIZA as previously described (Cheingsong-Popov et al, 1984;Serwadda et al, 1985). with multiple nodular swelling on the head, face and body and marked weight loss.…”

“…Sera collected in the West Nile District from healthy children showed a high prevalence (66%) of antibodies to HTLV-III (or a related virus) by ELIZA, later confirmed by western blotting. Furthermore recent serological data (Serwadda et al, 1985) indicate that the virus is endemic; 10% of the healthy adult population who have no obvious risk factors are infected. Taken together these findings suggest that the origin of HTLV-III or a related virus in the Ugandan population is not recent.…”

“…If the virus has been present in Uganda since 1972 one has to ask why AIDS was not reported until this year (Serwadda et al, 1985), given that disease surveillance has always been of a high standard. One possible explanation is that part of the population has immunity to the virus, perhaps those infected in early childhood, and that the current epidemic reflects escape by the virus to the non-immune population.…”

Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans

“…Wasting syndrome (DuPont & Marshall, 1995;Grunfeld, 1995), originally referred to as 'SIim disease' in Africa (Serwadda et aL., 1985), has long been recognized as a major cause of HIV -related morbidity and mortality. Reduced calorific intake is the prime determinant of this weight loss (Macallan et al, 1995).…”

Kaposi's sarcoma

“…HIV seropositivity is associated with the aggressive systemic and rapidly fatal KS in Africa (Whereas most 'classical' KS cases are HIV negative) (Bayley et al, 1985). In Africa, HIV is probably contracted from heterosexual contact, as intensive studies have failed to demonstrate any significant transmission by homosexual, intravenous drug abuse, contaminated blood products or insect bites (Serwadda et al, 1985). Moreover, occasional HIV seropositive prostitutes are beginning to present with KS lesions in Western cities.…”