HIV infection in malnourished children in Harare, Zimbabwe.
A descriptive study was undertaken to compare the pattern of socio-demographic features, nutritional profile and presenting features of HIV infected and uninfected children with malnutrition. A total of 140 children aged above 15 months admitted to the paediatric wards, Harare Hospital from December 1993 to February 1994 were studied. Sixty eight (48.6%) children were found to be HIV seropositive and 72 negative. The socio-demographic features were similar in both groups. Marasmus and marasmic kwashiorkor were predominant in the HIV infected children, whilst the majority (64%) of the children in the HIV uninfected group had kwashiorkor (p = 0.001). Pneumonia, lymphadenopathy, chronic discharging ears and oral thrush were significantly more frequent in the HIV infected than in the non HIV infected children (p < 0.01). Factors predictive of HIV infection were marasmus (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.04-8.10), generalised lymphadenopathy (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.16-6.64), oral thrush (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.16-6.37) and discharging ears (OR 6.05, 95% CI 1.89-19.42) with a sensitivity of 57.6% (95% CI 45.7%-69.5%), specificity of 71.4% (95% CI 60.8% 82.0%). The high prevalence of HIV infection among the malnourished children emphasises the impact of the HIV epidemic on childhood nutritional morbidity.
Ticklay
I M
IM
Division of Paediatrics, Harare Hospital.
Nathoo
K J
KJ
Siziya
S
S
Brady
J P
JP
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000150:complications*; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health; D015030:Zimbabwe