NATURAL-HISTORY OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS INFECTION IN A PROSPECTIVE PEDIATRIC COHORT BORN TO HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED MOTHERS

To determine whether Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) constitutes a contributi ng factor in AIDS and, conversely, whether the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) alters the course of primary EBV infection in a pediatric population, 62 children born to HIV-infected mothers and prospectively followed were evaluated. EBV infection was documented by EBV-specific serology and polymerase chain reaction and by clinical history. HIV i nfection status was determined according to the Centers for Disease Co ntrol and Prevention pediatric classification system. Demographics fro m HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children were comparable. The data s uggest that HIV-infected children may acquire primary EBV infection ea rlier in life. The incidence of accompanying splenomegaly or hepatomeg aly (or both) around the time of EBV seroconversion was higher among H IV-infected children than among HIV-uninfected children. In contrast, HIV disease progression and HIV-1 RNA load did not seem to be influenc ed by primary EBV infection.