OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS OF THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM IN CHILDREN WITH HIV-INFECTION - REPORT OF 9 AUTOPSY CASES AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities attributed to direct effect s of HIV infection are seen in most of children with acquired immunode ficiency syndrome (AIDS). Secondary CNS infections with opportunistic and common pathogens are infrequent in this age group. We report 9 cas es of opportunistic infection of the CNS found among 65 autopsy cases of pediatric AIDS. These included 4 cases of cytomegalovirus (CMV) inf ection, 1 of which was associated with aspergillosis, and 2 cases of c andidiasis, 1 of which coexisted with Mycobacterium avium intracellula re (MAI) infection. There were also 2 cases of leptomeningitis, 1 due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and the other to Cryptococcus neof ormans. In 1 child progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) co existed with mycotic encephalitis caused by an Aspergillus sp.