Case Reports (Jul 2015)
Case study: HIV drug resistance in a 13 year old boy, a multicausal problem
Abstract
Background: In 2011, at least 34 million people live with HIV. HIV vertical infected children require close follow-up from all the way through diagnosis to treatment and management of complications. Case summary: This is the case of a 13-year-old male patient with HIV (vertical transmission) diagnosed at 4 months old. His HIV diagnosis was made in the context of opportunistic manifestations of immunodeficiency because his mother did not access prenatal check-ups. He developed AIDS sequelae such as spastic paraparesia derived from HIV myelopathy and CMV retinitis due to immunodeficiency; these diseases presented in first two years of life. After three years from HAART initiation, the patient was exposed to inadequate HAART (ritonavir without another protease inhibitor), and experienced a first change of therapy due to virological failure. Subsequent treatment regimens —a sum of 7— presented failures in their formulation and this, along with delays due to administrative issues, led to the patient developing multiresistance to most of antiretrovirals given. The patient died mainly from multiorganic failure due to HIV and wasting syndrome. Conclusion: Congenital HIV is a fundamental issue in public health. It is a preventable disease, and perinatal management, including diagnosis and treatment, is a must. Treatment has demonstrated effectiveness when it is given with proper schemes and adherence. Administrative barriers led to failures in treatment and this affects the prognosis of any patient with HIV. This case is an example that highlights the relationship between virological and clinical failures with health system barriers, in HIV infected children. Managing gaps in diagnosis, antiretroviral administration, and follow up of HIV infected children translates into the prognosis of future adolescents and adults.
