Johnson S, Hendson W; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 46 (abstract no. 12174).
Perinatal HIV Research Unit, CH Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
BACKGROUND: Studies on HIV-infected adults with gastro-enteritis (GE) have shown atypical presentations and unusual organisms. Little is known about the pathogenesis and the etiology of GE in HIV-infected children in an urban African setting. The aims of this study were to compare the clinical and microbiological differences between children admitted with GE who were HIV infected and HIV uninfected. METHODS: A prospective unmatched case-controlled study was undertaken at the Chris Hani-Baragwanath hospital in Soweto over a period of a year (8000 paediatric admissions in 1996). Children (3 months-5 years) were recruited from a short-stay GE unit, and from one of the paediatric wards. Demographic details, GE history, examination, stool culture and HIV ELISA's were performed after obtaining voluntary informed consent. RESULTS: 23% of GE admissions were HIV positive. There was no significant difference between the two groups for duration of breastfeeding, age at hospital admission, duration of GE, clinical severity of dehydration, or mortality (3 deaths in each group) between the two groups. Significant differences were found in the duration of hospital stay (10.4 days vs. 5.8 days, p < 0.001), admissions to ward (p < 0.001) and co-diagnosis of pneumonia (p < 0.001). There was no difference in organisms cultured in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Mortality for GE in this setting is low for both groups. However, a quarter of all patients admitted for GE are HIV-infected, and co-infection with pneumonia appears to increase morbidity.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Adult
- Breast Feeding
- Child
- Enteritis
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Hospitalization
- Hospitals, Urban
- Humans
- Longitudinal Studies
- Prospective Studies
- South Africa
Other ID:
UI: 102226875
From Meeting Abstracts