A Study on HIV Infected Children from Krishna District, A.P., India : A study on seroprevalence of HIV and effect of antiretroviral therapy in children of Krishna district, A.P., India

More than 1,000 children are newly infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) every day and out of these, more than half will die as a result of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) because of the lack of access to HIV treatment. In addition, millions of children every year are indirectly affected by the epidemic, so as a result of this death and suffering caused in their families and communities according to WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF. The present epidemiological study on HIV children of Krishna district revealed 6% seroprevalence and mode of infection was by mother to child transmission (MTCT). The antiretroviral therapy (ART) to these children of Krishna has significantly increased their CD4 counts. Thus the goal of ART includes reduction of HIV-associated morbidity and mortality, preservation or restoration of immune function and reduction of HIV viral replication. By providing appropriate moral support and by developing positive attitude psychologically, we can sure achieve "A generation of children free from AIDS which is not impossible". And more research is needed on paediatric and adolescent HIV population because children are the main national wealth of our future.