Pattern of opportunistic infections and other co-morbidities among hospitalised children with HIV infection in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The patterns of opportunistic infections (OIs) associated with HIV vary in different parts of the world. Objective: To define the pattern of opportunistic infections and other co-morbidities amongst hospitalised children with HIV infection in South-western Nigeria. Method: Hospital records of all paediatric admissions diagnosed with HIV infection in our hospital over a ten-year period were reviewed. Relevant data were extracted and analysed.

Results: There were 33 cases of paediatric HIV/AIDS out of a total of 3,061 paediatric admissions during the study period.  Male: Female ratio was 1:1.4 while mean (SD) age was 17.4 (23.2) months.  87.9 % of the patients were under-5 children.  Fourteen (42.4%) patients presented with OIs, mainly oropharyngeal candidiasis and pulmonary tuberculosis.  No patient was diagnosed with pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Other commonly observed infections among the patients were septicaemia, chronic otitis media and gastro-enteritis in 8 (24.2%), 7 (21.2%) and 5 (15.2%) patients respectively.  Protein-energy malnutrition and anemia were common co-morbidities.  Mortality rate was 33.3% with septicaemia and pulmonary TB having the highest case fatality ratio.  Conclusion: Oropharyngeal candidiasis and pulmonary tuberculosis are the commonest OIs that affect children with HIV infection in the south-western part ofNigeria while septicaemia is a major cause of death.