THE ENT MANIFESTATIONS OF HIV-INFECTION IN CHILDREN

This study identified the ENT symptoms of 66 HIV infected children ove r an 8 year period (1986-1993) at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Chi ldren. The incidence, nature and age of onset of ENT symptoms were inv estigated; 91% of the children had ENT symptoms, the most common being cervical lymphadenopathy, oro-oesophageal candidiasis and otitis medi a. The HIV infected children suffered from the common ENT diseases of childhood. They also presented with specific conditions such as diffus e parotid swelling. Therefore, their clinical features differed from H IV infected adults as well as non-infected children. An increasing inc idence of paediatric HIV infection was demonstrated by the study. Most were due to vertical transmission. ENT surgeons are likely to see mor e HIV infected children in future, either with the usual ENT diseases of childhood (to which they seem more susceptible) or with HIV-specifi c conditions. Although the diagnosis of HIV may be known, the ENT cond ition could be the initial presentation suggestive of immunodeficiency .