Clinical spectrum of HIV infection

• Published in: Indian pediatrics 2000-08, Vol.37 (8), p.831-836
• Main Authors: DHURAT, Rachita, MANGLANI, Mamta, SHARMA, Ratna, SHAH, N. K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - transmission; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Tropical medicine; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
• ISSN: 0019-6061; 0974-7559

To study the modes of transmission of pediatric HIV infection, to categorize clinical manifestations and to compare clinical spectrum of perinatal with transfusion acquired HIV infection. Case series study. Hospital based pediatric HIV clinic. Children confirmed to have HIV infection were evaluated and relevant details recorded. 55 children were enrolled of whom 41 (74.5%) had perinatal transmission of HIV, 12 (21.8%) were infected through blood transfusions and 2 (3.6%) through other routes. Thirty-seven (90.2%) of the 41 perinatally infected children were symptomatic. Tuberculosis was seen in 25 (67.5%) of these children and failure to thrive in 18 (48.6%). Nonspecific features such as recurrent bacterial infection, oral candidiasis and chronic diarrhea were other manifestations. Eight (26.3%) of the 30 children available for follow up for a median period of 9 months died at the median age of 8.5 months. Amongst the transfusion acquired HIV infection, 11 (91.6%) of the 12 were asymptomatic at presentation. Six (50%) of these children died at the median age of 3 years and the remaining 6 had no major symptoms at a median follow up of 3.5 years. Perinatal route is the major route of HIV transmission in children and clinical manifestations are different from those of adults.