Abstract
Clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated in 17 patients (pt), aged 6mo-6yrs who were positive for serum antibody to the p 41 antigen of the HTLV-III virus by Western blot analysis. All but 1 pt were in risk groups for AIDS. 7 pt had opportunistic infections(OI) and fit the diagnostic criteria established by the CDC for pediatric(P) AIDS. 8 pt without OI designated as P AIDS related complex(ARC) had 1 to >3 clinical features associated with P AIDS. The remaining 2 pt were asymptomatic. HTLV–III virus was isolated from lymphocytes of 5/6 pt, (1 with P AIDS & 4 with P ARC). Immune abnormalities were detected in 16/17 pt and characteristically consisted of hypergammaglobulinemia, decreased B-cell differentiation in-vitro in response to T-depen-dent & T-independent stimuli, and depletion of T4 subset of lymphocytes. Proliferative responses to mitogens & antigens were variable. 10/10 mothers tested were seropositive for HTLV–III; 1 had clinical AIDS, 3 had lymphadenopathy and the remaining were asymptomatic. 5/5 mothers tested had immune abnormalities in-vitro. 5 clinically well siblings of 3 P ARC pt were sero-negative & did not manifest immune abnormalities. 2/4 fathers were seropositive with clinical & immunologic abnormalities. These findings indicate that seropositivity for HTLV–III is frequently associated with immune abnormalities with or without clinical manifestations and that recovery of HTLV–III virus is high in infected children.
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Pahwa, S., Fikrig, S., Kaplan, M. et al. 1016 SPECTRUM OF HTLV-III INFECTION IN CHILDREN. Pediatr Res 19, 280 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01046
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01046
