[Cytomegalovirus retinitis in children with AIDS acquired through materno-fetal transmission].

PURPOSE

To describe the clinical feature and the outcome of CMV retinitis in children with vertically transmitted HIV infection.

RESULTS

Five case-reports of cytomegalovirus retinopathy are described. These children from eight month-old to seven and a half year-old (median age at diagnosis 52 months) had been perinatally contaminated by the human immuno-deficiency virus. The ophthalmic signs included only a red eye for one patient. The clinical signs were similar to the adult's retinopathy. At the opposite the differences were emphasized like the clinical onset with a delayed diagnosis. Mean follow-up since diagnosis is 8 months with 3 patients still alive.

CONCLUSION

CMV retinitis in vertically transmitted AIDS can occur early in childhood and must be checked systematically in the patients with low CD 4 count because of the usual asymptomatic onset.