AIDS is yet an incurable disease and it means lots of sufferings and premature death. There is no vaccine and specific treatment available for to cure the disease. So prevention is the only way to avoid AIDS.

As per statistics, so far there are 386 millions people living with HIV/AIDS in the world . In Asia 83 millions are living with HIV/AIDS and among them 180 thousands are children. In Bangladesh number of reported cases are 874 and 109 are already expired.

AIDS stands for acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome caused by human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) type 1 and type 2. The predominant cells are affected CD4 and T lymphocyte which are responsible for body immunity. Depletion of CD4 cells produce immune deficiency. When there is less internal protection, there is more chance of infection by different types of organism, which we call opportunistic infections.

Infants gets infection from infected mother during pregnancy and delivery, through breast milk and through infected blood transfusion. At adolescence they get infected sexually and intravenous drug addiction.

Presentation of the disease in children are variable and it occurs when multiple systems of the body are involved. WHO criteria for diagnosis of AIDS in children in developing countries are as follows:

Major criteria:

1. Weight loss or abnormally slow growth.

2. Chronic diarrhea for more than one month.

3. Prolonged or intermittent fever for more then one month.

Minor criteria:

1. Generalised lymph-adenopathy.

2. Oropharyngeal candidiasis.

3. Recurrent common bacterial infections.

4. Persistent cough for more than one month.

5. Generalised dermatitis.

6. Confirmed HIV infection in the mother.

Existence of 2 major and 2 minor criteria in the absence of other causes of immuno-deficiency is diagnostic for AIDS in children.

Children having HIV/AIDS are prone to develop opportunistic infections like oral thrush, skin disease, diarrhoea, pneumonia, tuberculosis, Kala-azar etc. and they do not respond to usual therapy.

For successful management multi-disciplinary approach is essential.

As it is a killer disease and brings enormous sufferings, we have to protect it by any means. Through proper education we have to make awareness and that is the most important step for prevention.

So protect yourself against HIV/AIDS and thus protect your family and the Nation.

The writer is an Associate Professor Department of Pediatrics of Community Based Medical College, Mymensingh.