[Malnutrition and HIV infection in children in a hospital milieu in Burundi].

HIV infection was present in 18 out of 40 (45%) consecutive malnourished children aged 2 to 29 months in pediatric wards of Bujumbura, Burundi. No difference was observed within and between the seropositive and seronegative groups for sex and anthropometric measures. HIV seropositive cases could be explained by a HIV seropositive mother (83%) or by a transfusion history (17%). The onset of marasmus was earlier in the HIV seropositive group (5 cases observed less than 6 months old compared to none of the other group, Fischer's exact test: P = 0.026). A more complex clinical picture was seen in the HIV seropositive cases (12/18 compared to 4/22, Fischer's exact test: P = 0.004) with the presence of hepatomegaly, adenopathy, thrush, dyspnoea and skin disorders. No difference was observed concerning fever and diarrhoea. HIV seropositive group tended to show a higher hospitalisation frequency and did not well respond to high protein-energy diet: 7 were discharged without gain weight compared to none of the other group (Fischer's exact test: P = 0.011). These results suggest a high rate of vertical transmission mother-child for HIV infection and a frequent association of malnutrition and HIV infection in hospitalized children in Burundi. Marasmic children less than 6 months old should be highly suspected of HIV infection.