HIV-infected children get sick frequently and severely.

When a child’s number of CD4 cells is low, the immune system does not work as it should. HIV-infected children can get the same infections as uninfected children. Because a child with HIV has a weakened immune system, these infections can be more frequent, more severe, and harder to cure. Examples of common infections include infections of the ears, sinuses, lungs (pneumonia), blood (sepsis), urinary tract, bladder, intestines, and skin, as well as fluid around the brain (meningitis). HIV-infected children can also demonstrate swollen glands, breathing problems, fever, poor weight gain, and slow development.

If the immune system is weakened beyond a certain point, children may also get infected with germs that would not cause disease in children with normal immune systems, or they may get sicker and have more extensive illness. They may develop opportunistic infections such as: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), Candida (thrush), Herpes simplex (HSV), Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), Cryptosporidium, Cytomegalovirus, Cryptococcus, Toxoplasmosis, Herpes zoster, or chicken pox (which is much worse in children with HIV).

In addition, tuberculosis, diarrhea, and respiratory illnesses are more frequent in children living with HIV in developing countries.

More information:
• Definition
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• Transmission