Fatal Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in HIV-seropositive infants in Harare, Zimbabwe

Lung biopsies taken post mortem from 24 HIV-seropositive children who died of pneumonia in Harare Hospital (Zimbabwe) during 1995 were examined for pathogens using histology, culture, microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Pneumocystis carinii was detected in 16 (67%) children, in 5 of whom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2001, Vol.95 (1), p.37-39
Main Authors: Nathoo, K.J., Gondo, M., Gwanzura, L., Mhlanga, B.R., Mavetera, T., Mason, P.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - complications
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - microbiology
Biological and medical sciences
Female
HIV infections
HIV Seropositivity - complications
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infant
infants
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Pneumocystis - isolation & purification
Pneumocystis carinii
pneumonia
Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - complications
Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - microbiology
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
post mortem
Tropical medicine
Viral diseases
Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
Zimbabwe
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Summary:Lung biopsies taken post mortem from 24 HIV-seropositive children who died of pneumonia in Harare Hospital (Zimbabwe) during 1995 were examined for pathogens using histology, culture, microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Pneumocystis carinii was detected in 16 (67%) children, in 5 of whom bacterial pathogens were also detected. There were 2 cases of cytomegalovirus infection. On the basis of histology and PCR, none of the children had tuberculosis. These data add to the evidence that P. carinii pneumonia may be a significant cause of death in HIV-infected children in southern Africa. Policies on treatment for severe pneumonia, and on prophylaxis for children born to HIV-seropositive mothers need to be re-examined.
ISSN:0035-9203
1878-3503
DOI:10.1016/S0035-9203(01)90325-6