Clinical Features in HIV Infected Children

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to show what are the principal clinical features in HIV infected children from the district of Braila, Romania. We analyzed 118 HIV infected children by checking all medical documents available (including physical examination in more than 50% of them). All data were performed in EPIINFO 6. From the 118 children HIV positive since 1990 until March 1995, 29 (25%) died. The principal clinical features found were: lymphadenopathy (97%), different type of pneumonia (92%), hepatomegaly (81%), diarrhea (80%), upper respiratory tract disorders (78%), splenomegaly (59%) and skin diseases (45%). There were no significant differences in clinical signs between risk factors for HIV infection nor between age groups. Children who died had more frequent hepatomegaly and splenomegaly than alive children, but upper respiratory tract diseases were found much less frequent in dead children. We think these clinical features which are recurrent (except adeno-, hepato-, splenomegaly) associated with risk factors for HIV infection can help practitioners in recognize this disease.