Search

Background. Data on iron and vitamin A deficiency are scarce in school-aged children living with HIV (HIV+) compared with children without HIV (HIV–). Both deficiencies can contribute to anaemia. Objective. To assess anaemia, iron and vitamin A status in a sample of HIV+ and HIV– school-aged children in South Africa. Methods. In this comparative cross-sectional study, biomarkers for anaemia (haemoglobin), iron (plasma ferritin (PF), soluble transferrin receptor), vitamin A (retinol-binding protein (RBP)) and inflammatory status (C-reactive protein, α-1-acid glycoprotein) were measured in 8 - 13-year-old children from Cape Town living with (n=143) and without HIV (n=148). Measurements of PF and RBP were adjusted for inflammation using a regression-correction approach. Results. HIV+ children had higher prevalences of anaemia (29% v. 14%; odds ratio (OR) = 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4 - 4.9; p=0.002), iron-deficient erythropoiesis (20% v. 9%; OR=2.5; 95% CI 1.2 - 5.0; p=0.013) and iron deficiency anaemia (11% v. 4%; OR=2.9; 95% CI 1.1 - 7.7; p=0.035) than HIV– children. Marginal vitamin A deficiency was noted in 52% of HIV+ and 57% of HIV– children (p=0.711). Subclinical inflammation was more prevalent in HIV+ than HIV– children (p=0.012). Conclusion. Anaemia, iron-deficient erythropoiesis and iron deficiency anaemia were more prevalent in HIV+ than HIV– children. Prevalence of marginal vitamin A deficiency was high in both groups. Efforts to improve micronutrient status and mitigate nutritional determinants of anaemia in HIV+ children from resource-limited settings should be prioritised.

To date South Africa has failed to stem the rising tide of HIV infection. Voices are increasingly raised about the grim spectre of HlV and AIDS, which is no longer just a health problem, but is also threatening to cripple the economy. At an AIDS summit held on 11 September 1998, it was reported that one in every seven civil servants is HIV-positive and that there are already up to 100 000 AIDS orphans in KwaZulu-Natal The situation described in the press is already an exacerbation of the seroprevalence reported in the Western Cape in October 1997, which was 6.3%2 This in turn is a dramatic increase when compared with the 1.16% reported for 1994 In order to design information and educational campaigns on a local level, knowledge of the attitudes and benefits of intended target groups are needed. By adapting an educational campaign to the specific group, better results are achieved. We chose a target group of women attending the Elsies River Antenatal Clinic. This survey aimed to investigate the extent of their understanding of the disease and its spread. It was aimed specifically at identifying gaps in their understanding that could be addressed by means of an educational campaign, such as a series of informative posters at the clinic.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate use of antibiotics for non-severe upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), most of which are viral, significantly adds to the burden of antibiotic resistance. Since the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in South Africa in 2009, the relative frequency of the major bacterial pathogens causing acute otitis media (AOM) and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) has changed RECOMMENDATIONS: Since URTIs are mostly viral in aetiology and bacterial AOM and ABRS frequently resolve spontaneously, these recommendations include diagnostic criteria to assist in separating viral from bacterial causes and hence select those patients who do not require antibiotics. Penicillin remains the drug of choice for tonsillopharyngitis and amoxicillin the drug of choice for both AOM and ABRS. A dose of 90 mg/kg/d is recommended for children, which should be effective for pneumococci with high-level penicillin resistance and will also cover most infections with Haemophilus influenzae. Amoxicillin-clavulanate (in high-dose amoxicillin formulations available for both children and adults) should be considered the initial treatment of choice in patients with recent antibiotic therapy with amoxicillin (previous 30 days) and with resistant H. influenzae infections pending the results of studies of local epidemiology (β-lactamase production >15%). The macrolide/azalide class of antibiotics is not recommended routinely for URTIs and is reserved for β-lactam-allergic patients CONCLUSION: These recommendations should facilitate rational antibiotic prescribing for URTIs as a component of antibiotic stewardship. They will require updating when new information becomes available, particularly from randomised controlled trials and surveillance studies of local aetiology and antibiotic susceptibility patterns

BACKGROUND: Diarrhoea remains a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Implementation of World Health Organization Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines and pre-hospital use of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) in the Western Cape Province of South Africa are not well described. OBJECTIVES: To document pre-hospital home and primary care management of diarrhoea, and certain risk factors and complications of diarrhoea. METHODS: We used a prospective descriptive convenience sample of children admitted to the short-stay ward at Tygerberg Hospital, Parow, Cape Town, between 1 February 2007 and 31 May 2008. Caregivers were interviewed, and demographic, clinical and laboratory variables were collected. RESULTS: We recruited 142 children, median age 8.9 months. A third had moderate malnutrition. Twenty-four (16.9%) were HIV-exposed, with 9 (6.3%) HIV-infected. HIV-exposed children were significantly younger than unexposed children (p=0.03). Weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ) were significantly lower in HIV-infected than in HIV-exposed, uninfected children (p=0.02). Eighty per cent of caregivers gave ORT and 35.2% stopped feeds. Only 1 of 43 children aged under 6 months was exclusively breastfed. Advice at primary care level rarely complied with IMCI guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Most caregivers do give ORT, but advice given at primary care level is often suboptimal. Many hospitalised children with diarrhoea are malnourished. Children with HIV infection are at increased risk of diarrhoeal disease and malnutrition, and HIV exposure appears to increase the risk of early presentation with diarrhoea. Ongoing strategies are needed to ensure optimal prevention policies, prehospital management and nutritional rehabilitation.

Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) prevents tuberculosis (TB) in immunocompetent children

Background. No pharmacokinetic data exist for premature infants receiving single-dose nevirapine (sd NVP) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Aim. To describe NVP decay pharmacokinetics in two groups of premature infants – those whose mothers either received or did not receive NVP during labour. Methods. Infants less than 37 weeks’ gestation were prospectively enrolled. Mothers received sd NVP during labour if time allowed. Infants received sd NVP and zidovudine. Blood was collected on specified days after birth and NVP concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results. Data were obtained from 81 infants, 58 born to mothers who received sd NVP during labour (group I) and 23 to mothers who did not receive NVP (group II). Of the infants 29.6% were small for gestational age (SGA). Median (range) maximum concentration (Cmax), time to reach maximum concentration (Tmax), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and halflife (T½) were 1 438 (350 - 3 832) ng/ml, 25h50 (9h40 - 83h45), 174 134 (22 308 - 546 408) ng×h/ml and 59.0 (15.4 - 532.6) hours for group I and 1 535 (635 - 4 218) ng/ml, 17h35 (7h40 - 29h), 168 576 (20 268 - 476 712) ng×h/ml and 69.0 (22.12 - 172.3) hours for group II. For group II, the median (range) volume of distribution (Vd) and body clearance (Cl) were 1 702.6 (623.7 - 6 189.8) ml and 34.9 (6.2 - 163.8) ml/h. The AUC was higher (p=0.006) and Cl lower (p

Background. Chronic otorrhoea occurs commonly in HIVinfected children. However, there are few data on incidence and severity. Objective. To document the prevalence of otorrhoea in the clinic attendees. Methods. A retrospective chart review was done of all HIVI infected children seen at the Family Clinic for HIV from 1 February 1997 to 31 December 2001, a period preceding widespread availability of antiretrovirals. Otorrhoea was classified into two groups, viz. group 1 (mild): an episode lasting less than 1 month, and group 2 (severe): an episode lasting more than 1 month or more than 1 episode of otorrhoea. The clinical and immune stages of the children were noted. Results. Of 326 children seen during the study period, 104 (32%) had otorrhoea. Forty-five (13.8%) had mild and 59 (18.1%) severe otorrhoea. Two hundred and eighty-eight (88.6%) had either Centers for Disease Control stage B or C disease. The median CD4 percentage in children with otorrhoea was 17.5% (8.3 - 23%) versus 21% (14 - 28%) in those without otorrhoea (p=0.004). The odds ratio (OR) of children in stage B or C not having severe otorrhoea was 0.1 (0.01 - 0.72, p = 0.013). The OR for immune class 2 or 3 without severe otorrhoea was 0.39 (0.18 - 0.85, p = 0.021). Conclusions. Otorrhoea contributes to the morbidity of HIV infection in children. It is a marker for symptomatic disease and CD4 depletion and should be included in clinical classifications. South African Medical Journal Vol. 97 (12) 2007: pp. 1292-1294

Increased susceptibility to infections is the major cause of disease, end organ damage and death in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children. This article will focus on prevention, diagnosis and management of the most common and less common severe infections that are specifically associated with HIV-related immune compromise, as well as some aspects relating to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). South African Family Practice Vol. 49 (2) 2007: pp. 40-45