Prevalence and Factors Associated with HIV Transmission in the Pediatric Consultation and Hospitalization Units of Bouake University Hospital

Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with HIV transmission among pediatric children in consultation and hospitalization at the Bouaké University Hospital for the improvement of prognosis.

Methods: This was a prospective study with a descriptive and analytical focus carried out from February 8 to May 08, 2019 in the pediatric consultation and hospitalization units of the Bouaké University Hospital. It involved 300 children aged 18 to 180 months admitted for various reasons, tested for HIV and whose parents were consenting. Care for HIV-positive children was done according to national recommendations. The studied parameters were sociodemographic, diagnostic and evolutive. The analysis was descriptive and analytical with a significance level of p <0.05 at the chi-square test.

Results: A total of 300 children screened for HIV, 11 were HIV-positive (6 boys and 5 girls), a prevalence of 3.6%. The average age was 100 months. The main reasons for consultation were fever (31.6%), cough (15.8%), convulsion (15.8%) and weight loss (10.5%). The main HIV-related conditions were acute respiratory infections (27.3%), severe malaria (27.3%) and gastroenteritis (18.1%). Significantly associated factors were maternal death (p <0.001), prior knowledge of maternal HIV status (p <0.001), HIV mother’s HIV status (p <0.001).

Conclusion: The prevalence of HIV infection is high in the pediatric consultation and hospitalization units of Bouaké University Hospital. It concerns the child whose mother is dead or alive but HIV positive. Strengthening PMTCT and routine screening of children will improve prognosis.

Keywords: Child, HIV, consultation, hospitalization, transmission, prevalence, associated factors, PMTCT Côte d’Ivoire.