Plasma HIV burden in Malawian children co-infected with rotavirus

Fifty-eight HIV-infected children with acute rotavirus diarrhea were tested for plasma HIV RNA. There was no difference between acute and convalescent mean viral loads, and little change in the CD4 cell counts. Compared with the 16 children who died within 4 weeks, 31 survivors had slightly lower viral loads at presentation and significantly higher CD4 cell counts. Low CD4 cell counts, but not HIV-1-RNA concentrations, were predictive of death. Local, enteric rotavirus infection did not appear to affect blood HIV viral load or CD4 cell counts in this small group of children.