The Etiology of Pneumonia in HIV-infected Zambian Children: Findings From the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) Study

Despite recent declines in new pediatric HIV infections and childhood HIV-related deaths, pneumonia remains the leading cause of death in HIV-infected children under 5. We describe the patient population, etiology and outcomes of childhood pneumonia in Zambian HIV-infected children. METHODS: As one of the 9 sites for the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health study, we enrolled children 1–59 months of age presenting to University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, with World Health Organization–defined severe and very severe pneumonia. Controls frequency-matched on age group and HIV infection status were enrolled from the Lusaka Pediatric HIV Clinics as well as from the surrounding communities. Clinical assessments, chest radiographs (CXR; cases) and microbiologic samples (nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs, blood, urine, induced sputum) were obtained under highly standardized procedures. Etiology was estimated using Bayesian methods and accounted for imperfect sensitivity and specificity of measurements. RESULTS: Of the 617 cases and 686 controls enrolled in Zambia over a 24-month period, 103 cases (16.7%) and 85 controls (12.4%) were HIV infected and included in this analysis. Among the HIV-infected cases, 75% were <1 year of age, 35% received prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 13.6% received antiretroviral therapy and 36.9% of caregivers reported knowing their children’s HIV status at time of enrollment. A total of 35% of cases had very severe pneumonia and 56.3% had infiltrates on CXR. Bacterial pathogens [50.6%, credible interval (CrI): 32.8–67.2], Pneumocystis jirovecii (24.9%, CrI: 15.5–36.2) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (4.5%, CrI: 1.7–12.1) accounted for over 75% of the etiologic fraction among CXR-positive cases. Streptococcus pneumoniae (19.8%, CrI: 8.6–36.2) was the most common bacterial pathogen, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (12.7%, CrI: 0.0–25.9). Outcomes were poor, with 41 cases (39.8%) dying in hospital. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-infected children in Zambia with severe and very severe pneumonia have poor outcomes, with continued limited access to care, and the predominant etiologies are bacterial pathogens, P. jirovecii and M. tuberculosis.