Pediatric HIV infection.
OBJECTIVE
The present cross sectional study was undertaken to study clinical profile of HIV infection in children in Northern India.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Sehgal
R
R
Department of Pediatrics, VMMC and Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi, India. rachnakhera6@rediffmail.com
Baveja
U K
UK
Chattopadhya
D
D
Chandra
J
J
Lal
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D065227:Transfusion Reaction