Our findings indicate distinct differences in the epidemics in pregnant women across Europe. The evolution of the MTCT epidemic in Ukraine does not appear to be following the same pattern as that in Western Europe in the 1980s and 1990s. Although uptake of preventive MTCT prophylaxis has been rapid in both Western Europe and Ukraine, substantial challenges remain in the more resource-constrained setting in Eastern Europe.

We confirm the effectiveness of HAART with respect to the recovery of CD4 cell count and suggest a benefit of initiating ART before the age of 5 months. Age at initiation of the most-potent ART was not associated with the likelihood of sustaining the recovery of CD4 cell count.

Symptomatic pulmonary manifestations of Kawasaki disease (KD) are uncommon. However, epidemiologic, radiologic, and histologic studies have indicated that respiratory symptoms and findings occur in KD and suggest that the KD agent may have a respiratory portal of entry. We report on three young infants with KD who developed pulmonary nodules, in addition to coronary artery aneurysms. Two patients had pathologic specimens available, one from biopsy and the other from autopsy. The nodules had predominantly mononuclear cell infiltrates, which were within the lung parenchyma and infiltrating vessel walls. Immunohistochemical studies of the nodules, using antibodies to common leukocyte antigen (LCA) and factor VIII-related antigen, confirmed the inflammatory nature of the lesions and showed capillary proliferation. IgA plasma-cell infiltration was observed in the nodule, consistent with previous KD findings of IgA plasma-cell infiltration in the vessel walls, kidneys, pancreas, and upper respiratory tract. The two patients with nonfatal KD were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and aspirin, with resolution of the nodules. We propose that when pulmonary involvement occurs in KD, it ranges from subclinical interstitial micronodular infiltrates to larger inflammatory pulmonary nodules. These pulmonary infiltrates and nodules likely reflect the host response to the etiologic agent of KD, and may resolve with the disease process. Recognition of this pulmonary complication of KD may enable cautious observation of such lesions for spontaneous resolution.

A considerably longer effect of exposure to ARV was shown in uninfected children than previously thought and significant associations were shown between race and gender and neutrophil count, as previously observed for lymphocyte counts. The clinical relevance of these reduced levels of neutrophils requires further investigation.

Differences in RNA viral load over age between untreated boys and girls may have implications for policies for the initiation of antiretroviral therapy, but do not seem to translate into differences in progression to serious disease. The findings would suggest underlying biological explanations, which need further investigation.