Role of Naso-Gastric Aspirate in HIV-Positive Children Presenting with Respiratory Symptoms

Abstract

Naso-gastric aspirate is a simple, convenient, relatively non-invasive and economical technique for identification of AFB and/or P. carinii organisms in HIV-positive patients presenting with respiratory symptoms.

Systematic Review on the Etiology and Antibiotic Treatment of Pneumonia in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-infected Children

“…jirovecii identification in the studies included in the analysis was mainly by staining methods including indirect immunofluorescence, 3,15,20,22,23,24,25 Giemsa stain, 17,20 and/or silver methenamine. 17,20,22 Sources of samples tested for P. jirovecii varied between induced sputum, 15,23 nasopharyngeal aspirate, 3,15,25 gastric washing, 20 endotracheal aspirates, 17 and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples. 22 P. jirovecii was identified as the most common pathogen among HIV-infected children with CAP, with weighted average prevalence of 32.7% (SD, 20.9; range, 0%-48.6%) in antemortem and 44.6% (SD, 31.17%; range, 22.6%-67%) in the postmortem studies.…”

“…† † † Pyogenic pneumonia ϩ tuberculosis (12), pyogenic pneumonia ϩ CMV (5), PCP ϩ CMV(20), PCP ϩ CMV ϩ TB (5). ‡ ‡ ‡ Estimated incidence rate per 100,000 for lower respiratory tract infection.HIV indicates human immunodeficiency virus; PCP, P. jirovecii pneumonia; CMV, cytomegalovirus; MTB, M. tuberculosis; N/A, not applicable; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; PIV, parainfluenza virus; ADV, adenovirus; hMPV, human metapneumovirus; WHO, World Health Organization.…”

Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Exposed and HIV-Infected Children

“…Pneumocystis organisms were found in 48.6% of HIV-infected children with respiratory illnesses in whom gastric aspirates were obtained on three consecutive mornings. 25 Other studies have shown the organism only found in gastric contents of patients with PCP. 26 …”