[Features in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in the neonatal period]

Different patterns of disease expression have been found in pediatric HIV1 infection. The precise timing of vertical transmission of HIV1 cannot be pinpointed. Some studies suggests that a substantial proportion of infants are infected during gestation are likely to have more extensive infection and thus more accelerated disease that infants who become infected during labor or delivery.

We examined the clinical manifestations and laboratory findings in seven newborns with HIV1 infection.

In all patients, have been bound clinical or laboratory features at birth. Five newborn was prematurely (71.4%). The most common clinical findings in this group was: hepatomegaly (6/7), failure to drive (6/7), esplenomegaly (5/7) and limphadenopaties (5/7). The laboratory findings was: trombopeny and cellular immunosuppression (5/7). The HIV1 infection was determined by detection of p24 antigen, chain reaction polymerase or viral cocultive in blood in the first day of live. The mortality in this group was the 70% in the first year of life.

This results suggest that the timing of HIV1 infection was intrauter. This group has an accelerated disease course, developing manifestations of AIDS in first month of life and dying earlier. Although, a variety of maternal and fetal factors may contributed to the intrauter infection, for example the characteristics of the mother's infection, immune status, level of HIV1-neutralizing antibody, p24 antigaenemia prematurity and others.