Epidemiology and clinical spectrum of pediatric patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: A 15 years’ experience

Nighat Haider; Naila  Bashir; Ana  Farooq; Mulazim  Hussain

doi:10.12669/pjms.39.3.6710

Nighat Haider Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, PIMS
Naila Bashir
Ana Farooq
Mulazim Hussain

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.3.6710

Keywords: Human immunodeficiency virus, Children, Clinical presentation, Co-infection, Mode of transmission, Pediatric population

Abstract

Objective: To view the different patterns of presentation of HIV in pediatric population along with mode of transmission and associated co infections and co morbidities

Methods: It was a retrospective study conducted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, in which we evaluated the records of pediatric patients diagnosed with HIV from 2005 to 2020. All the data like age, gender, area, presenting complaints, examination findings at the time of diagnosis, mode of transmission, co infection and co morbidities were recorded. Descriptive analysis was done to calculate frequencies and means of the variables. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.

Results: Ninety four participants were evaluated with male to female ratio as 1.8:1 and mean age of 5.2 years. Majority of patients (44%) were below 4 years. Fever (55%) was the most reported symptom followed by cough (39%), diarrhoea (29%), pallor (27%), shortness of breath (26%), weight loss (23%) and failure to thrive (22%). Co infection with TB was present in (16%). Eight (9%) patients were thalassaemic. Mother to child transmission (60%) was the commonest mode of transmission followed by blood transfusion (23%) and parenteral transmission (6%).

Conclusion: In children HIV is more prevalent in males especially under 4 years with fever, cough, diarrhea and pallor being the common symptoms at presentation. Tuberculosis is the commonest co infection as we are endemic for TB and mother to child transmission is the commonest mode of transmission as there was no outbreak in our area.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.3.6710

How to cite this: Bashir N, Haider N, Farooq A, Hussain M. Epidemiology and clinical spectrum of pediatric patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: A 15 years’ experience. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(3):820-824. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.3.6710

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