Canadian national survey of perinatal HIV infection 1991-1992. Canadian Paediatric AIDS Research Group (CPAR).
OBJECTIVE
To define the burden of illness and the demographic characteristics of perinatally HIV exposed children in Canada.


METHODS
Two national surveys of children born to HIV-infected mothers were conducted. The first survey captured information on all known cases up to March 1991, and the second, additional cases between April 1991 and May 1992.


RESULTS
220 children born to 204 HIV-infected mothers were identified. Quebec cases increased by 20% compared with 33% in Ontario (p < .003) and 50% in the rest of the country (p < .001). Quebec has a higher proportion of black mothers than the rest of Canada (p < .001). Sexual contact continues to be the major risk factor for maternal HIV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
This survey confirms a substantial case load and provides an initial demographic profile of diagnosed HIV exposed infants in Canada.
Duff
F P
FP
Division of Infectious Disease, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON.
King
S M
SM
Lapointe
N
N
Read
S
S
Forbes
J
J
Allen
U
U
D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D015981:Epidemiologic Factors; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology