PROBLEM OF ESTABLISHING HIV STATUS AND WAYS TO IMPROVE IT IN HIV-EXPOSED CHILDREN

Abstract

The HIV status determination analysis and laboratory examination of 117 HIV-infected children which were born in Gomel region were done. The parameters of physical development and some laboratory parameters in 117 HIV-infected children in Gomel region were compared with the data of 107 HIV-exposed children. The perinatal and infant autopsy protocols of 25 HIV-exposed children under the age of 1 year who died in the period from September 1998 to January 2010 were analyzed. Despite the accepted terms of HIV status in children determination (age 2 and 4 months), within the first year of life HIV diagnosis was confirmed only in 22 children (19%) based on clinical data and two positive PCR results. We analyzed the available autopsy protocols of HIV-exposed children. Of these, only two were diagnosed with HIV infection in infancy and the cause of their death was a viral infection. In other children due to various reasons HIV status until death has not been recognized. Laboratory indicators of peripheral blood in the two groups were within normal limits. The platelet counts in peripheral blood of HIV-infected newborns (median 245) were significantly lower vs. HIV-exposed (median 297, p=0,04). The level of platelets in the peripheral blood at birth below 286?109 / L (sensitivity 82,6%, specificity 56,2%) can predict HIV infection.