Clinical epidemiological characterization of patients pediatrics with non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis to HIV. Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital

Abstract

Background: Sexual assault remains the leading cause of occupational non-exposure in children to HIV; it occurs in all socioeconomic classes, and in almost all countries of the world only with differences in magnitude.
Objective: To identify the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric patients who received non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis at National Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas from January 2020 to September 2021.
Patients and methods: This was a quantitative study with a descriptive approach and a cross-sectional non-experimental design, where a review of 18 records of patients who received immediate care after non-occupational exposure to HIV was performed, using the collection method. the epidemiological file of the Post Exposure Prophylaxis Protocol (PPE) to HIV and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections) of the Ministry of Health of Honduras 2017 modified for this investigation.
Results: 78.0% of the cases were found in the adolescent age group, mostly female, and 83.0% of the cases came from the department of Cortés. Sexual assault was the most frequent cause, where 44.0% turned out to have had exposure at home; the aggressor being a relative or acquaintance in 52.8%. Likewise, 94.1% of the offender's serology for HIV was unknown. At the time of recruitment, 89.0% of the cases had negative HIV serology, and after a month of follow-up, 46.6% had negative serology. However, at 12 months, 100% of the cases were lost to follow-up. Only 53.8% complied with antiretroviral therapy prophylaxis.
Conclusions: The non-accomplishment of the protocol is attributable to the situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or to the general ignorance of the population about the importance of full fulfillment of treatment.