HIV-INFECTION IN AFRICAN CHILDREN

211.032 cases of AIDS were reported from Africa up to December 1992, of which 15-20% were among children. The extent of AIDS cases within the overall population may, however, be 10 times larger, but remains grossly underreported. The most seriously afflicted countries are in East and southern Africa, but HIV-1 infection and associated morbidity are also major problems in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Of particular concern with regard to the perinatal transmission of HIV and the numbers of orphans is the number of reproductive-age females infected with HIV. Among teenagers and individuals aged 20-24, HIV-infected females outnumber HIV-infected males. A large point-prevalence cross-sectional study conducted among 16 major hospitals in Uganda during 1990 found 16.8% of 2793 under-5 children admitted to be seropositive for antibodies to HIV. 12.8% of the 963 children within the sample aged 18 months to 5 years were HIV-seropositive. The vast majority of HIV-infected children are under 5 years old. Sections consider the prevalence of HIV infection of antenatal clinics, vertical transmission rates, the effect of HIV infection on fetuses, breastfeeding, blood transfusion, clinical aspects, mortality rates, immunization, BCG, measles, and social aspects.