Protein-energy Malnutrition and Human Immu nodeficiency Virus infection in Children in Jos

Abstract

Summary: Sixty-one consecutive children aged four - 54 months (mean, 12.98 months) with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and 60 well nourished controls aged five - 60 months (mean, 17.5 months) admitted to the Jos University Teaching Hospital between January and October 1997, were screened for HIV infection by the ELISA and Western Biot methods. Twenty-three (37.7 per cent) of the 61 children with PEM tested positive for HIV 1 by both methods while none of the controls tested positive (P<0.0001). These results indicate a hign prevalence of HIV infection among children with PEM and suggest that HIV infection is becoming a significant cause of PEM among children in our environment. Alhtough it would be ideal to carry out routine HIV screening in all children with PEM, the ethical and social implications of such a policy need to be carefully considered in view of the non-availability of an effective cure and the inadequacy of social support systems.