Abstract

BUSTAMANTE GALLEGO, ALBERTO; ELORZA PARRA, MUSSATYÉ  and  CORNEJO OCHOA, WILLIAM. Clinical characteristics of hiv-infected children seen at a university hospital in Medellin, Colombia, 1997-2005. Iatreia [online]. 2007, vol.20, n.4, pp.354-361. ISSN 0121-0793.

Introduction: HIV infection of children was first diagnosed in 1982. The first Colombian case was described in 1987. It has become a serious public health problem, especially in the pediatric population. Its clinical manifestations include both infectious and non-infectious diseases, secondary malnutrition, and neurological affection. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, crosssectional study was carried out based on the medical histories of 54 HIV-infected children seen at Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl, in Medellín, Colombia, between 1997 and 2005. Results: Out of the 54 children 28 (51.9%) were females. Ages were between 24 days and 108 months. Twenty nine patients (54%) were index cases. In 52 (96,2%) transmission of the infection had been vertical. The most frequently found clinical stage was B (36 children; 66,7%). Concerning the immunological situation, 17 children (31,5%) were in the category 3, namely, severe immunosupression. Twelve patients (22,2%) were severely malnourished. Neumonia was the first clinical manifestation (39 patients; 72,2%), followed by gastrointestinal, lymphatic, nervous, and renal manifestations; also present were hematological, cardiac and skin problems. Fever (above 38 ºC) was present in 38 patients (70,4%), either alone of along with other symptoms or signs.

Keywords : AIDS; HIV; INMUNOSUPRESSION; PNEUMONIA.

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