Chronic Shigella flexneri infection preceding development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Shigella sp. is known to be an important cause of diarrhea in homosexual men, although chronic infection is infrequently recognized. We describe recurrent and relapsing symptomatic infection due to Shigella flexneri in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected homosexual man subsequently developed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome may be prone to developing chronic shigellosis because of impaired intestinal cell-mediated immunity.