Objectives: To determine retrospectively the prevalence of positive cytomegalovirus (CMV) cultures in pediatric patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Methods: We reviewed the records of 273 children with human immunodeficiency virus infection referred to the Pediatric Branch of the National Cancer Institute for whom CMV cultures were performed between January, 1991, and October, 1994.
Results: Of this group 189 patients (69%) had negative CMV cultures and 84 (31%) had positive cultures. The prevalence of CMV-related disease was 9% for the entire group, including 4 (2.1%) patients with negative CMV cultures. Among the 84 patients with positive CMV cultures, 21 (25%) had evidence of CMV disease. Patients with positive CMV cultures had a statistically significant decrease in survival in the presence of severe immunocompromise defined as an age-corrected CD4 count of < 21%. Nine of 35 (26%) autopsies performed demonstrated evidence of CMV disease, including 7 patients with disseminated CMV disease.
Conclusions: Although CMV disease appears to be less frequent in children than adults, CMV infection still contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in this population, especially when combined with severe immunosuppression.