Prevalent Opportunistic Infections Associated with HIV-positive Children 0-5 years in Benin City, Nigeria

• Main Authors: Imade, P. E., Eghafona, N. O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Society for Microbiology 2008-01-01
• Series: Malaysian Journal of Microbiology
• Subjects: Classification System; Malaria; Oral Candidiasis; Bacteraemia; Diarrhoea; Otitis Media
• Online Access: http://web.usm.my/mjm/issues/vol4no2/research3.pdf

A total of 620 HIV positive children 0-5 years attending University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, were examined in this study. They were grouped into less than 1 year and 1-5 years based on CDC classification system. 218 children were under 1 year and 402 were 1-5 years. The overall results showed that malaria infection recorded the highest prevalence with 71.10% in less than 1 year and 76.37% in 1-5 years. This was followed by Oral Candidiasis 38.07% in less than 1 year and 50% in 1-5 years. Bacteraemia had 23.40% and 30.60% in less than 1 year and 1-5 years respectively. Diarrhoea, 14.22% in less than 1 year and 17.66% in 1-5 years. Otitis media had 10.55% and 10.95% in less than 1 year and 1-5 years respectively. Similarly, 590 apparently healthy HIV-negative children within the same age group were evaluated for the presence of these infections. There was a statistical significance between opportunistic infections and HIV infection (P < 0.001). Malaria infection was the most prevalent opportunistic infection in this population and may probably be due to environmental condition of this locality as well as the low immune status of the children.