Pediatric AIDS in the Elimination Agenda
2013 August. 10:e1001503. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001503
- 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.