HIV infection and eye disease in children

The fetus is infected through the mother's placenta. The disease manifests itself in 40% of children born to affected women. Postpartum infection is due to the use of infected blood products and, in adolescents, to sexual contact with an infected partner.

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Common manifestations of the disease include:

• opportunistic infections;
• pneumonia;
• encephalitis;
• developmental delay.

Manifestations from the organ of vision:

• retinopathy due to HIV infection;
• opportunistic infections;
• retinitis CMV etiology; toxoplasmosis;
• retinal necrosis;
• other diseases.

Retinopathy due to HIV infection

The cause of the disorder is unknown. The disease manifests itself by the formation of cotton-wool spots, hemorrhages in the retina and other vascular disorders.

Concurrent infections: cytomegalovirus retinitis

It is the most common manifestation of immunodeficiency. Initially, the lesions look like cotton-wool foci with necrotic changes in the center and associated hemorrhages. Later, the pathological process spreads beyond the primary focus, and additional changes occur. Treatment consists of long-term intravenous administration of ganciclovir or foscarnet, but complete recovery is rare.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis manifests as severe, rapidly progressive necrotizing chorioretinitis and uveitis. Treatment consists of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine. The disease tends to relapse.

Retinal necrosis

Ophthalmoscopically, it is manifested by necrosis, pallor and edema of the retina in individual zones that tend to merge. It can be caused by the herpes simplex virus and herpes zoster.

Other diseases

Occasionally, conjunctival sarcoma of Kaposi, large areas of molluscum contagiosum, and herpes simplex keratitis are encountered.

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Diagnosis of eye diseases in children with HIV infection

Diagnosis of HIV infection in newborns can be difficult. Correct diagnosis requires HIV culture or detection of p24 antigen in the newborn's serum and viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

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