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

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 inter...

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Main Authors: Camille Lallemant, Gaston Halembokaka, Gaelle Baty, Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong, Francis Barin, Sophie Le Coeur
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2010-01-01
Series:Journal of Tropical Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/897176
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author Camille Lallemant
Gaston Halembokaka
Gaelle Baty
Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong
Francis Barin
Sophie Le Coeur
author_facet Camille Lallemant
Gaston Halembokaka
Gaelle Baty
Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong
Francis Barin
Sophie Le Coeur
author_sort Camille Lallemant
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2010-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-9f341a4e6f584fa398b7109cb975d91c2025-08-20T03:38:27ZengWileyJournal of Tropical Medicine1687-96861687-96942010-01-01201010.1155/2010/897176897176Impact of HIV/Aids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era: A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of CongoCamille Lallemant0Gaston Halembokaka1Gaelle Baty2Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong3Francis Barin4Sophie Le Coeur5Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9PX, UKAssociation Congolaise pour la Santé Publique et Communautaire, Pointe-Noire, Democratic Republic of CongoLaboratoire de Virologie, EA 3856 and Centre National de référence du VIH, CHU Bretonneau, François Rabelais University, 2 bd Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, FranceInstitut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMI 174/Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, 187/10 Changklan Rd., Changklan, Muang, Chiang Mai 50100, ThailandLaboratoire de Virologie, EA 3856 and Centre National de référence du VIH, CHU Bretonneau, François Rabelais University, 2 bd Tonnellé, 37044 Tours, FranceUMR 196 CEPED, Université Paris-Descartes, INED, IRD, 19 rue Jacob, 75006 Paris, FranceFew 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.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/897176
spellingShingle Camille Lallemant
Gaston Halembokaka
Gaelle Baty
Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong
Francis Barin
Sophie Le Coeur
Impact of HIV/Aids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era: A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo
Journal of Tropical Medicine
title Impact of HIV/Aids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era: A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo
title_full Impact of HIV/Aids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era: A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo
title_fullStr Impact of HIV/Aids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era: A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo
title_full_unstemmed Impact of HIV/Aids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era: A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo
title_short Impact of HIV/Aids on Child Mortality before the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Era: A Study in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo
title_sort impact of hiv aids on child mortality before the highly active antiretroviral therapy era a study in pointe noire republic of congo
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/897176
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