Indications for HIV testing in paediatric surgical patients.

HIV testing is done in paediatric surgical patients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, when HIV infection is suspected to be the underlying cause of the clinical presentation or contributing to morbidity. We conducted a retrospective, descriptive analysis of children with surgical conditions under the age of 15 who underwent HIV tests between January 2001 to April 2004. A total of 279 children were tested - 50.2% were boys and 49.8% were girls. Overall HIV prevalence was 39.8%. The most common indications for testing and those with highest HIV prevalence were sepsis (31% of the diagnoses and HIV prevalence of 38%), head and neck swellings (22% and HIV prevalence of 39%) and urogenital problems (17% of cases and HIV prevalence of 51%).