HIV infection in children

Abstract

Approximately 15% of infants born to HIV infected women themselves acquire the infection. There is growing evidence that a number of interventions may reduce the risk of infection and the diagnosis of HIV in pregnancy is becoming increasingly important. The infection status of the infants can be determined by three to six months of age and the subsequent course of disease in those that do acquire the infection is very variable. Symptomatic infection will present in a variety of different ways. There are an increasing number of treatment strategies and the care of these children is multidisciplinary and complex.