Human immunodeficiency virus serology in a pediatric emergency department: reasons for ordering tests and the characteristics of positive cases

Fernández Díaz V, Ortigoza Escobar JD, Noguera Julián A, Fortuny Guasch C, Trenchs Sainz De La Maza V, Fernández Santervás Y

This study aimed to determine the most common reasons for ordering human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serology in a pediatric emergency department and to

describe the characteristics of HIV-positive cases. In 11 years, 933 HIV serologies were

ordered in the department. The most common reasons were protocols at the onset of

cancer or blood disease (40.1%), accidental puncture (17.8%), and high-risk sexual

intercourse (14.3%). The serology was positive in 4 cases (prevalence, 0.4%; 95% CI,

0.1%-1.1%). Three of the positive results were for children with a family history of HIV;

in the fourth positive case the patient had a mononucleosis-like syndrome and had had

high-risk sexual intercourse. Thus, most HIV serologies are performed to follow hospital

protocol rather than because there is clinical suspicion of HIV infection. The very few

patients who are diagnosed as HIV-positive in the pediatric emergency department have

family histories of seropositivity or have had high-risk intercourse.

Fernández Díaz V, Fernández Santervás Y, Fortuny Guasch C, Noguera Julián A, Ortigoza Escobar JD, Trenchs Sainz De La Maza V