HIV infection among children in Barbados.

We studied a cohort of children with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Barbados in order to determine the prevalence of HIV infection, the clinical course including morbidity and mortality and the magnitude of the health care and social problems. Forty-seven children were diagnosed with HIV infection during the study period. The number of HIV infected children increased from 5 during 1981-85, to 14 during 1986-90, and to 21 during the 1991-95 period. The majority (91.5%) of infections resulted from perinatal transmission. Six (12.8%) cases remained asymptomatic and 41 (87.2%) were symptomatic with 19(46.3%) presenting in infancy, while 22 (53.5%) presented post-infancy. The median age at diagnosis (class P-2) was 13 months. Generalized lymphadenopathy (47.5%), hepatosplenomegaly (40.0%), failure to thrive (27.5%), persistent recurrent diarrhoea (15.0%), oral candidiasis (37.5%), Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (37.5%), lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (12.5%) and progressive neurological disease (10.0%) were common HIV related conditions. Two children developed non-hodgkin's lymphoma. The median age at death for 23 children was 12 months, whereas the median survival after diagnosis was 4 months. Mortality was higher among those diagnosed in infancy (73.7%) as compared to those diagnosed post-infancy (42.8%). Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was the most common (65.2%) cause of death. Paediatric HIV infection is rising and contributes considerably to infant mortality. In this study, children took longer to be symptomatic when compared to other reports. However, once symptomatic, they died early.