Pediatric HIV infection

• Published in: Indian journal of pediatrics Vol. 72; no. 11; pp. 925 - 930
• Main Authors: SEHGAL, R, BAVEJA, U. K, CHATTOPADHYA, D, CHANDRA, J, LAL, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.11.2005
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Distribution; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Female; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - transmission; Human viral diseases; Humans; India - epidemiology; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Sex Distribution; Sexual Behavior; Transfusion Reaction; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Human; Drug; Immunopathology; Pediatrics; AIDS; Injection; Immune deficiency; Epidemiology; Contamination; Blood; Unsafe medical injections; Infection; Medicine; Viral disease; Child; Contaminated blood; Pediatric HIV; Clubbing
• ISSN: 0019-5456; 0973-7693
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02731665

The present cross sectional study was undertaken to study clinical profile of HIV infection in children in Northern India. 64 children from newborn to eighteen years, presenting for confirmation of diagnosis of HIV infection or monitoring of CD4-CD8 counts in confirmed cases, were evaluated. Children were categorized as per CDC classification of Pediatric HIV. The diagnosis was confirmed by serological tests or PCR assay. CD4-CD8 counts were done by FACS Count. Majority of the children were between 18 months to 5 years. Adolescents comprised 24% of the case. 51.5% children were infected through the mode of mother to child transmission. 39% of the case was transfusion-mediated. Unsafe medical injections probably contributed to 6.2% and heterosexual promiscuity led to 3.1% cases. Clubbing, not described in Indian studies so far, was seen in 9.3% cases. HIV infection is a chronic childhood disease extending into adolescence, and contaminated blood and unsafe medical injections are still important routes of HIV transmission in India.