Pediatric HIV-1 disease in a Kampala Hospital.

Data of pediatric patients screened for HIV-1 infection between 1985 and 1989 were studied retrospectively in one of the major mission hospitals of Kampala (Uganda). Symptomatic HIV-1 infection was mainly acquired perinatally and was diagnosed in 87 per cent in children under 2 years of age. The mortality rate was 40 per cent in pediatric in-patients with symptomatic HIV-1 infection as compared to 12 per cent in overall pediatric inpatients. Symptoms included in the WHO clinical case definition for pediatric AIDS were mainly insensitive, unspecific and demonstrated a low positive predictive value. There was no difference in the prevalence of malaria and measles between HIV-1 positive and HIV-1 negative children.