Impact of HIVAids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era : A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo

الملخص EN

Few studies have documented the contribution of HIV/AIDS to mortality among children under 15 years.

From June 30 to October 19, 2001, all child deaths (n=588) registered to the morgue and/or hospitals of the city of Pointe-Noire, Congo, were investigated using a combined approach including an interview of relatives and postmortem clinical and biological HIV diagnosis.

Twenty-one percent of children were HIV positive, while 10.5% of deaths were attributed to AIDS.

The most common causes of death in HIV-infected children were pneumonia (30%), pyrexia (22%), diarrhoea (16%) and wasting syndrome (16%).

Infant mortality rate was estimated 6.3 times higher in children born to HIV-infected mothers compared to HIV-uninfected mothers.

This study provides a direct measure of HIV/AIDS as impact on child mortality using a rapid and reliable method.

A significant number of deaths could be prevented if HIV infection was diagnosed earlier and infants were provided with antiretroviral treatments.