Gynecomastia in Haitians Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas, New York Since the fall of 1981, gynecomastia has been occurring in Haitian men located in the Immigration and Naturalization Service's (INS) Service Processing Centers. Although no cause has been found, the condition appears to be spontaneously resolving. In November 1981, several Haitian men at the INS Fort Allen Service Processing Center, Puerto Rico, presented at the Public Health Service Clinic complaining of breast enlargement. Because of this unusual occurrence of gynecomastia, CDC was asked on November 30, to assist in an epidemiologic investigation. Of 540 male Haitians 18-50 years old examined, 77 (14.3%) had gynecomastiadefined as a palpable, firm, discoid, subareolar, unilateral or bilateral breast mass. Of these 77 persons, 11 had noted the problem in Haiti, and 5 in Miami. Of 187 non-Haitian, male employees of the Center examined, 6 (3.2%) had gynecomastia, and of these, 2 had the problem before the facility opened. The difference in prevalence between Haitians and Center employees was statistically significant (p 0.0005). After the disorder was recognized in Fort Allen, cases of gynecomastia were found in Haitians in other INS facilities, including the INS Service Processing Center, El Paso, Texas, and the Krome North Service Processing Center, Miami, Florida. Because all Haitians entering the United States and processed by INS are first processed at Krome, further investigation was continued there. On January 4, 1982, examination of the entire Haitian male population at Krome for gynecomastia was completed. Of 522 male Haitians, 52 (10.0%) had gynecomastia. Of these 52, 2 reported to have had the disorder before leaving Haiti. One of 10 non-Haitian aliens processed at Krome also reported the recent development of gynecomastia. | |
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