Progression of human immunodeficiency virus disease among infants and children infected perinatally with human immunodeficiency virus or through neonatal blood transfusion. Los Angeles County Pediatric AIDS Consortium and the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center and the University of Southern California School of Medicine.

Using community-based surveillance data for pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, we examined disease progression using survival analysis among perinatally HIV-infected children and children HIV-infected through a neonatal blood transfusion. As of December 31, 1991, 238 HIV-infected children (classified P-1 or P-2 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification system) were identified. Median symptom-free survival time from birth to symptomatic infection (P-2) was different for perinatally acquired (n = 166) and neonatal transfusion-acquired (n = 72) infection (6.4 months vs. 17.8 months, respectively; P < 0.001). Survival after development of symptomatic infection (P-2) did not differ by transmission mode. Survival differences from birth to death were significant at P < 0.05 (75% of perinatally HIV-infected children survived 44 months vs. 71 months for transfusion-associated children). Although survival estimates improved for those receiving antiretroviral treatment, differences by mode were still observed. For perinatally HIV-infected children, mortality was highest in the first year of life (12%). Those remaining symptom-free beyond their first year demonstrated survival experiences similar to those for children with transfusion-associated infection.