CYTOMEGALOVIRUS RETINITIS IN A CHILD WITH AIDS DUE TO MATERNO-FETAL TRANSMISSION

Purpose To describe the clinical feature and the outcome of CMV retini tis children with vertically transmitted HIV infection. Results Five c ase-reports of cytomegalovirus retinopathy are described. These childr en from eight month-old to seven and a half year-old (median age at di agnosis 52 months) had been perinatally contaminated by the human immu no-deficiency virus. The ophthalmic signs included only a red eye for one patient. The clinical signs were similar to the adult's retinopath y. At the opposite the differences were emphasized like the clinical o nset with a delayed diagnosis. Mean follow-up since diagnosis is 8 mon ths with 3 patients still alive. Conclusion CMV retinitis in verticall y transmitted AIDS can occur early in childhood and must be checked us ual asymptomatic onset.