Opportunistic infections in pediatric HIV infection: A study of 74 autopsy cases from Latin America

The present report describes opportunistic infections found at 74 autopsies of pediatric HIV/AIDS patients performed at several hospitals in Latin American countries. Fungal infections were the most common (53 cases), Candida sp. (39.18%) and Pneumocystis carinii (20.27%) being the most frequently recognized. Other fungal diseases included histoplasmosis, aspergillosis, and cryptococcosis. Viral infections were present in 31 cases, 38.7% being due to cytomegalovirus. Other viruses recognized included herpes simplex and adenovirus. Additional opportunistic infections were due to Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, toxoplasmosis, and tuberculosis. Nonspecific bacterial bronchopneumonia was present in II cases. Cytomegalovirus and P. carinii coinfection was the most common association found. In this series patients died at a younger age (72% at or younger than 2 year old) and there was a slightly higher number of cases of histoplasmosis and brain toxoplasmosis than in other previously published series of infants and children.