To evaluate treatment adherence among perinatally-infected pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients followed in pediatric centers in Brazil. This was a cross-sectional multicenter study. Medical records were reviewed and adherence scale, assessment of caregivers' quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), anxiety, depression, and alcohol/substances use/abuse were assessed. Outcomes included self-reported 100% adherence in the last three days and HIV viral load (VL)<50 copies/mL. Statistical analyses included contingency tables and respective statistics, and multivariable logistic regression. 260 subjects were enrolled: 78% children and 22% adolescents; 93% of caregivers for the children and 77% of adolescents reported 100% adherence; 57% of children and 49% of adolescents had VL<50 copies/mL. In the univariate analyses, HIV diagnosis for screening due to maternal infection, lower caregiver scores for anxiety, and higher scores in physical and psychological domains of WHOQOL-BREF were associated with 100% adherence. Shorter intervals between pharmacy visits were associated with VL<50 copies/mL (p ≤ 0.01). Multivariable regression demonstrated that caregivers who did not abuse alcohol/other drugs (OR=0.49; 95% CI: 0.27-0.89) and median interval between pharmacy visits<33 days (OR=0.97; 95% CI: 0.95-0.98) were independently associated with VL<50 copies/mL; whereas lower caregiver scores for anxiety (OR=2.57; 95% CI: 1.27-5.19) and children's HIV diagnosis for screening due to maternal infection (OR=2.25; 95% CI: 1.12-4.50) were found to be independently associated with 100% adherence. Pediatric HIV programs should perform routine assessment of caregivers' quality of life, and anxiety and depression symptoms. In this setting, pharmacy records are essential to help identify less-than-optimal adherence.

Vertically infected individuals are reaching childbearing age and the new generation of HIV-exposed infants is coming to pediatric care. Chart review of pregnancies among HIV vertically infected adolescents and young women. Fifteen pregnancies were reviewed. Girls had HIV diagnosis at median age 10.1 years (range 1.3–20). They started sexual life at median age 15 years (range 13–19); median age at pregnancy was 16.9 years (range 14–21.5); 36.4% had presented an AIDS-defining clinical event; have been followed for median 8.5 years (range 2.9–15.8) and had used median two antiretroviral regimens (range 0–7). Fourteen (93.3%) received antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy; median CD4 cell count during pregnancy was 394 (range 117–651) cells/μl and median viral load was 4800 copies/ml (range 50–100 000); 54% had undetectable viral load near delivery. All patients delivered by elective c-section. Median birth weight was 2650 g (range 2085–3595), median length was 47.3 cm (range 42–51) and median gestational age 38 weeks (range 37–39). All newborn received zidovudine for 6 weeks of life and none was breastfed. Fourteen (93%) infants were considered HIV-uninfected; one was lost to follow-up. This group of adolescents seems to have sexual behavior similar to that of HIV-uninfected. Since this is an experimented antiretroviral population, new drugs may be necessary for adequate viral suppression to avoid HIV mother-to-child transmission. Follow-up of this third generation of HIV-exposed infants needs to be addressed within HIV adolescent care.

Resumo Neste estudo investigamos como vivências de estigma do HIV se expressam entre jovens soropositivos, em transição para a clínica de adultos, no serviço de saúde, na família e nas interações afetivos-sexuais e sua relação com as desigualdades e hierarquias sociais. O estudo envolveu 31 jovens (idade mediana 21) em transição para a clínica de adultos (G1) e 12 jovens (idade mediana 30) que já fizeram essa transição (G2), ambos atendidos num serviço de saúde do Rio de Janeiro. Dentre os 43 jovens, 70% eram mulheres e 65% foi infectado por transmissão vertical. Os jovens responderam a questionários e participaram de grupos focais sobre estigma da aids e passagem para a vida adulta. A maioria relatou situações de discriminação associadas ao estigma do HIV na vida cotidiana e no cuidado em saúde. Os jovens do G1 revelaram maior preocupação com as consequências da revelação do HIV e dificuldades com o tratamento. Os relatos do G2 sugerem que a constituição de relações conjugais, incluindo parceiro/a e filhos soronegativos e o acesso ao tratamento, possibilitaram resignificar o receio da estigmatização. Os achados visam orientar a formação e ação de profissionais envolvidos na prevenção e cuidado de jovens vivendo com HIV.

The availability of highly potent antiretroviral treatment during the last decades has transformed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection into a chronic disease. Children that were diagnosed during the first months or years of life and received treatment, are living longer and better and are presently reaching adolescence and adulthood. Perinatally HIV-infected adolescents (PHIV) and young adults may present specific clinical, behavior and social characteristics and demands. We have performed a literature review about different aspects that have to be considered in the care and follow-up of PHIV. The search included papers in the MEDLINE database via PubMed, located using the keywords "perinatally HIV-infected" AND "adolescents". Only articles published in English or Portuguese from 2003 to 2014 were selected. The types of articles included original research, systematic reviews, and quantitative or qualitative studies; case reports and case series were excluded. Results are presented in the following topics: "Puberal development and sexual maturation", "Growth in weight and height", "Bone metabolism during adolescence", "Metabolic complications", "Brain development, cognition and mental health", "Reproductive health", "Viral drug resistance" and "Transition to adult outpatient care". We hope that this review will support the work of pediatricians, clinicians and infectious diseases specialists that are receiving these subjects to continue treatment.

Objective: HIV-infected adolescents are a heterogeneous population; source of infection, immunodeficiency severity and antiretroviral (ARV) experience vary. Here, we describe youth followed in an observational study at Latin American sites of the NICHD International Site Development Initiative (NISDI). Methods: The NISDI pediatric protocol is an ongoing prospective cohort study that collects demographic, clinical, immunologic, virologic and medication data. Youth were enrolled at 15 sites in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico between 2002 and 2006. HIV-infected subjects aged 12–21 years at the time of enrollment were analyzed. Results: Data from 120 HIV-infected youth were analyzed. Sixty-nine (58%) had acquired HIV through vertical transmission (VT); 51(42%) via horizontal transmission (HT). Twenty-eight percent of the VT group were not diagnosed until they were ≥10 years of age. Ninety-one percent of the VT group and 46% of the HT were receiving ARV at enrollment. Modes of HT included sexual (ST), blood product transfusion (BPT) and unknown (U). Severe immunodeficiency was frequent (21%) in the ST group. Low BMI was frequent in the VT and BPT sub-groups. Utilization of HAART increased over the course of the study, but viral suppression was present in only 38% of the VT group and 37% of the HT group at study end. Conclusions: This cohort of HIV-infected adolescents in Latin America displayed a diverse epidemiologic pattern. Care providers must be prepared to address the diverse needs and challenges of this population. The levels of virologic suppression achieved were inadequate. Further research into appropriate interventions for this population is urgently needed.

We describe a case of Zika virus infection acquired during the first trimester in a HIV-infected pregnant woman that led to multiple fetal malformations and fetal demise in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.