Pediatric AIDS in the Elimination Agenda

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, Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Pediatric AIDS in the Elimination Agenda

By: Scott E. Kellerman, Nandita Sugandhi

Publication: PLoS Medicine 2013 August. 10:e1001503. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001503

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Summary

Despite the global initiative to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, 210,000 new pediatric infections were added worldwide in 2012 to the existing pool of 3.4 million children living with the virus.

Children are more vulnerable to HIV infection and have higher morbidity and mortality. Without treatment, one-half of those children infected will die before the age of 2 years, yet only one-third of those eligible for treatment are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy.

Current initiatives focus on interventions within the traditional prevention of mother-to-child transmission cascade, but the scope of the elimination agenda must be broadened in order to ensure access to care and treatment for all children living with HIV.