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Atopy in HIV-infected children in Pretoria
Abstract
atopic state in patients with human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) has not been thoroughly investigated in South Africa.
HIV-infected adults have been shown to have a higher
prevalence of atopy in some international studies, but this has
not been documented in children.
Methods. A prospective convenience sample of 50 children
aged between 3 months and 12 years attending the Tshwane
District Hospital Paediatric HIV clinic in Pretoria was
recruited. Their personal and family histories of atopy, World
Health Organization (WHO) HIV clinical staging and Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) immunological staging with CD4
counts were documented. An age- and sex-matched control
group of 50 HIV-negative children was included. Skin prick
tests (SPTs) to identify common aeroallergens were conducted
on all patients.
Results. One hundred children were enrolled, with 50 in each
group. Ten per cent of the HIV-infected patients compared
with 16% of controls had positive SPTs to aeroallergens. A
higher percentage of the HIV-infected patients had chronic
rhinitis and eczema (60% and 68%, respectively). There
was no relationship between CD4 count and positive SPTs
(p=0.61), mean log CD4 count and presence of reported
asthma (p=0.71), and CD4 count and presence of reported
dermatitis (p=0.84). The CD4 count was not statistically
different between children with and without a family history
of atopy (p=0.68).
Conclusion. It appears that the stage of HIV disease does not
influence the development or expression of allergy. There is a high prevalence of dermatitis and chronic rhinitis in HIVinfected
children, probably not atopic in origin.
