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Words Too Terrible to Hear: Sexual Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus to Children

Words Too Terrible to Hear: Sexual Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus to Children Abstract Sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among adults has been recognized for over a decade, but we have yet to accept these words too terrible to hear: children can also acquire HIV infection from sexual contact. In this issue of AJDC, Laura T. Gutman, MD, and colleagues1 explore the barriers to our assessment of sexually abused children for HIV. Although we have come to accept that every other sexually transmitted disease is transmittable to children by sexual contact, we continue to ignore the possibility of HIV transmission due to sexual abuse. In a recent survey of 63 sexual abuse evaluation centers from areas of the United States with a high prevalence of AIDS, none had a protocol for HIV testing.2 Why have we failed to investigate the possibility of HIV infection in sexually abused children? One reason is that we do not yet have the data to References 1. Gutman LT, Herman-Giddens ME, McKinney RE Jr. Pediatric acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: barriers to recognizing the role of child sexual abuse . AJDC . 1993;147:775-780. 2. Gellert G, Durfee M, Berkowitz C. Developing guidelines for HIV antibody testing among victims of pediatric sexual abuse . Child Abuse Negl . 1990;14:9-17.Crossref 3. Gellert G, Durfee M, Berkowitz C, Higgins K, Tubiolo V. Situational and sociodemographic characteristics of children infected with human immunodeficiency virus from pediatric sexual abuse . Pediatrics . 1993;91:39-44. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png American Journal of Diseases of Children American Medical Association

Words Too Terrible to Hear: Sexual Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus to Children

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References (3)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0002-922X
DOI
10.1001/archpedi.1993.02160310013002
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract Sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among adults has been recognized for over a decade, but we have yet to accept these words too terrible to hear: children can also acquire HIV infection from sexual contact. In this issue of AJDC, Laura T. Gutman, MD, and colleagues1 explore the barriers to our assessment of sexually abused children for HIV. Although we have come to accept that every other sexually transmitted disease is transmittable to children by sexual contact, we continue to ignore the possibility of HIV transmission due to sexual abuse. In a recent survey of 63 sexual abuse evaluation centers from areas of the United States with a high prevalence of AIDS, none had a protocol for HIV testing.2 Why have we failed to investigate the possibility of HIV infection in sexually abused children? One reason is that we do not yet have the data to References 1. Gutman LT, Herman-Giddens ME, McKinney RE Jr. Pediatric acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: barriers to recognizing the role of child sexual abuse . AJDC . 1993;147:775-780. 2. Gellert G, Durfee M, Berkowitz C. Developing guidelines for HIV antibody testing among victims of pediatric sexual abuse . Child Abuse Negl . 1990;14:9-17.Crossref 3. Gellert G, Durfee M, Berkowitz C, Higgins K, Tubiolo V. Situational and sociodemographic characteristics of children infected with human immunodeficiency virus from pediatric sexual abuse . Pediatrics . 1993;91:39-44.

Journal

American Journal of Diseases of Children – American Medical Association

Published: Jul 1, 1993

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