Page 11 - Children Bookt.pdf

1. Diagnosis of HIV infection in children

Although HIV testing is currently widely available in the country, children born to
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status is also often unknown. This situation may change with increasing detection of
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child as well as the mother. Clinical recognition of the signs and symptoms of HIV
infection in children is important for early diagnosis, counselling and testing for the
infant and family.

Clinical Diagnosis
Clinical recognition of symptomatic HIV infection in children
Clinical recognition of symptomatic HIV infection in children is made if the following
are present. 1
Any cardinal*
o Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
o Lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP), a chronic lung disorder of
unknown cause that affects up to 40% to 50% of perinatally HIV-
infected children. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and HIV itself have been

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o Fungal infection in throat and mouth (candidiasis or thrush)
Two or more characteristic*
o Recurrent bacterial and/or viral infections (such as respiratory
infections, skin infections and meningitis)
o Tuberculosis of the lung or of other organs
o Shingles (herpes zoster)
o Cytomegalovirus infection
o Neurological problems, such as slowness in developing skills in

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growth)
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associated*
o Oral thrush when the child is not being treated with antibiotics
o Failure to thrive (lack of weight gain)
o Fever (continuous or intermittent for more than 1 month)
o Diarrhoea (persistent or intermittent for more than 14 days)
o Generalized lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph glands)
o Skin rashes

epidemiological risk factors*
o Mother has tested positive for HIV
o History of transfusion of unscreened blood or blood products
o K
ear piercing or circumcision using non-sterile instruments

laboratory evidence of HIV infection in the child.

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