AIDS AND HIV-INFECTION IN SUDANESE CHILDREN - A CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY

HIV surveillance and screening programs were established at Khartoum T eaching Hospital (KTH) following the first identified HIV case diagnos ed in a hemophiliac boy in November 1987. As of December 1995, 15 case s of symptomatic HIV infection have been observed in Sudanese children (less than or equal to 16 years) at KTH. An HIV seroprevalence rate o f 35.7% was documented in a group of 28 patients (adults and children) with various congenital coagulation defects. The postulated mode of t ransmission was through contaminated factor concentrate. Screening of 52,000 volunteer male blood donors (March, 1987-1989) showed an HIV-se roprevalence rate of 0.05%. Selected groups, including 1118 children a dmitted to KTH during the period 1985-1995, were screened for HIV infe ction. These included aseptic meningitis/encephalitis group (n = 52), high-risk group in = 523), children with various chronic and malignant diseases (n = 181), and chronic blood recipients (n = 330). A group o f 32 displaced homeless children who survived on the streets were also included. Overall, an HIV seroprevalence rate of 1.2% was established . Among the 15 children with symptomatic HIV infection, tuberculosis a ccounted for the majority of admissions (33.3%) followed by admission for recurrent infections (20.0%). Of the 13 children with nonparental mode of HIV transmission, a vertical mode was documented in 61.5%. The pattern of HIV infection in Greater Khartoum is similar to that in No rth Africa and the Middle East. However, the geographic influence of h igh endemicity in neighboring sub-Saharan countries might change it in the future.