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[Clinical manifestations of infection by human immunodeficiency virus in children]
Insights
This study of 30 children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection found that symptomatic cases frequently experienced serious bacterial infections, with candidiasis and pneumonia being the most common. Understanding these infection patterns is crucial for pediatric HIV care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Immunology
- Epidemiology of Viral Infections
Abstract:
HIV infection in children presents a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic to opportunistic infections, neurologic deterioration and malignancy. This retrospective study describes the characteristics of 30 HIV infected children, attended at the Hospital Infantil de México. Six patients were asymptomatic and 24 symptomatic. Twenty four patients presented a secondary infection, 66% opportunistic infections, compared against the 100% who presented around 3 serious bacterial infections. The most frequent infections were: candidiosis 18 children, pneumonia 14, sepsis 8, cryptosporidiosis 5, urinary tract infection 5, and otitis 5. We were able to demonstrate P. carinii pneumonia in only one patient. These differences in the frequency of related infections may represent regional differences by country.