Condition Lookup
Category:
HIV in Pediatrics
Number of Conditions: 1
Pediatric HIV Infection
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: HIV in Pediatrics
Symptoms:
failure to thrive; recurrent infections; developmental delays; chronic diarrhea; lymphadenopathy; fever
Root Cause:
Transmission of HIV from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding, leading to immune suppression and vulnerability to infections.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
HIV nucleic acid tests (DNA or RNA) in infants younger than 18 months; HIV antibody testing in older children.
Treatment:
Early initiation of ART, prophylaxis for opportunistic infections, and supportive care including nutritional supplementation.
Medications:
Pediatric formulations of ART drugs such as lamivudine , abacavir , and lopinavir /ritonavir . Prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for Pneumocystis pneumonia.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Estimated 1.7 million children globally live with HIV; most cases are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Maternal HIV infection, lack of access to perinatal ART, breastfeeding by an untreated HIV-positive mother.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With early and effective ART, children can achieve near-normal life expectancy; delayed diagnosis increases morbidity and mortality.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Opportunistic infections, growth failure, neurocognitive impairments, and psychosocial challenges.