Some seroepidemiological data on HIV-antibody and HBs-antigen prevalence in children and infants of Craiova (Romania).
By testing 2362 children and infants from Craiova (Romania), for both HIV-antibody and HBs-antigen presence in the blood, a high rate of positivity was noticed in orphanages and in dystrophia units. A rate of "signal" (i.e. about 4% for HIV-antibodies, and 2.5% for HIV-antibody/HBs antigen), in hospitalized patients (pediatric service), was found as well. Four reasons support the horizontal way of virus transmission as the main route: most of seropositive subjects belong to 1-to-3-year age range, suggesting a virtual contamination before introduction of disposable syringes in Romania care units and hospitals; many HIV-seropositive cases have received frequent parenteral treatments, during repeated hospitalizations for acute respiratory disease; only few of the mothers of seropositive infants exhibited HIV-antibody presence; a relatively high rate of "double" seropositivity, i.e. HIV-antibody/HBs antigen, within tested serum samples was noticed.
Voiculescu
C
C
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Craiova, Romania.
Bălăşoiu
M
M
Turculeanu
A
A
Filipaş
L
L
Popescu
E
E
Sava
M
M
Tieranu
E
E
Cupşa
A
A
D002675:Child, Preschool; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D015995:Prevalence; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens