High HIV prevalence among children presenting for general consultation in rural Cameroon

Data on the HIV-prevalence children presenting to health care facilities in sub-Saharan Africa are scant in general and the debate about opportunities for paediatric HIV screening is ongoing. Nine hundred and eighty-one children with unknown HIV-status presenting to a large general paediatric outpatient department in rural Cameroon were tested using the Determine HIV-1/2 rapid test (Abbott) and positive results were confirmed with the Hexagon HIV rapid test (Human Diagnostics). In children younger than 18 months HIV infection was confirmed by PCR testing. Median age was 1.3 years and 52.8% were of male gender. In 514 children below 18 months of age 16 (3.1%) tested positive. Of those HIV-1 PCR was available for 11 children of whom 6 had a positive PCR result. HIV prevalence was highest in the age group 5-9 years being 8.8%. Malnutrition (33.3 vs 5.2% p < 0.001) was associated with HIV infection. Our study results indicate that HIV testing should be offered to all children at possible entry points to medical care irrespective of symptoms in order to reduce HIV-associated mortality through timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy.