IMPACT OF THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 ON COMMON PEDIATRICILLNESSES IN ZAMBIA

The seroprevalence of HIV-1 and in-patient mortality in children with common pediatric illnesses was studied, Between October 1990 and July 1991 at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University Tea ching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka, Zambia, mothers of all pediatric admissi ons were interviewed and counselled for enrollment of their children i nto the study, Of a total of 1323 children seen, 1266 children (600 fe male and 666 male) were enrolled into the study, Pneumonia (28 per cen t), malaria (24 per cent), malnutrition (18 per cent), and diarrhoea ( 10 per cent) constituted over 80 per cent of the total admission diagn oses, Tuberculosis (5 per cent) was the fifth commonest cause of admis sion (61 out of 1266 children), A total of 354 out of the 1266 (28 per cent) children were found to be seropositive for HIV-1 compared to a seroprevalence rate of 9 per cent in children attending accident and e mergency for traumatic injuries (P=0.001). High HIV-1 seroprevalence r ates were found in children with tuberculosis (69 per cent), malnutrit ion (41 per cent), pneumonia (28 per cent), and diarrhoea (24 per cent ), The overall mortality in hospital among HIV-seropositive children ( 19 per cent) was significantly higher than those who were HIV-seronega tive (9 per cent) (P=< 0.0001).