Clinical spectrum of HIV infection.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: 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. DESIGN: Case series study. SETTING: Hospital based pediatric HIV clinic. METHODS: Children confirmed to have HIV infection were evaluated and relevant details recorded. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: Perinatal route is the major route of HIV transmission in children and clinical manifestations are different from those of adults.