The objective of this study was to review mortality from external causes (accidental injury) in children and adolescents in systematically selected journals. This was a systematic review of the literature on mortality from accidental injury in children and adolescents. We searched the Pubrvled, Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences and Excerpta Medica databases for articles published between July of 2001 and June of 2011. National data from official agencies, retrieved by manual searches, were also reviewed. We reviewed 15 journal articles, the 2011 edition of a National Safety Council publication and 2010 statistical data from the Brazilian National Ministry of Health Mortality Database. Most published data were related to high-income countries. Mortality from accidental injury was highest among children less than 1 year of age. Accidental threats to breathing (non-drowning threats) constituted the leading cause of death among this age group in the published articles. Across the pediatric age group in the surveyed studies, traffic accidents were the leading cause of death, followed by accidental drowning and submersion. Traffic accidents constitute the leading external cause of accidental death among children in the countries understudy. However, infants were vulnerable to external causes, particularly to accidental non-drowning threats to breathing, and this age group had the highest mortality rates for external causes. Actions to reduce such events are suggested. Further studies investigating the occurrence of accidental deaths in low-income countries are needed to improve the understanding of these preventable events.

São apresentados os resultados de um inquérito sorológico para a detecção de anticorpos contra o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana (VIH), em grupo não selecionado de crianças, internadas numa enfermaria geral de pediatria. Foram testados 441 pacientes pelo método ELISA, com uma positividade de 1,1 %, cujos resultados foram confirmados pelos testes de Western-Blot e/ou ImunoBlot. Nenhum dos cinco pacientes com teste positivo apresentou história de transfusão anterior, enquanto que 4,3% dos pacientes estudados apresentaram história transfusional. Todas as mães apresentaram também testes ELISA positivos. Em quatro casos, pelo menos um dos genitores referiu uso de drogas por via endovenosa. Em todas as crianças, o modo de transmissão foi vertical. A partir desses achados sugere-se a necessidade de a equipe de saúde tomar precauções quando da manipulação de sangue ou secreções. Recomenda-se a realização de inquéritos anônimos em enfermarias de hospitais gerais para auxiliar na determinação da real prevalência das infecções pelo VIH.

The results of a serum inquiry for detection of antibodies against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus in a non selected group of children, patients of a general pediatric ward, are reported. Of the 441 cases, the ELISA test gave a positive result for 1.1% of them. This result was confirmed by the Western-Blot or ImmunoBlot test. None of the five children who tested positive had a previous history of blood transfusion. These children's mothers showed positive results to the ELISA test. Of four cases, at least one of the parents was IV drug addicted. In every case the transmission was vertical. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that hospital staff should take the necessary precautions when manipulating blood and secretions and it is recommended that serum inquiries be made on the wards of general hospitals in the attempt to establish reliable data on the prevalence of HIV.

São apresentados os resultados de um inquérito sorológico para a detecção de anticorpos contra o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana (VIH), em grupo não selecionado de crianças, internadas numa enfermaria geral de pediatria. Foram testados 441 pacientes pelo método ELISA, com uma positividade de 1,1 %, cujos resultados foram confirmados pelos testes de Western-Blot e/ou ImunoBlot. Nenhum dos cinco pacientes com teste positivo apresentou história de transfusão anterior, enquanto que 4,3% dos pacientes estudados apresentaram história transfusional. Todas as mães apresentaram também testes ELISA positivos. Em quatro casos, pelo menos um dos genitores referiu uso de drogas por via endovenosa. Em todas as crianças, o modo de transmissão foi vertical. A partir desses achados sugere-se a necessidade de a equipe de saúde tomar precauções quando da manipulação de sangue ou secreções. Recomenda-se a realização de inquéritos anônimos em enfermarias de hospitais gerais para auxiliar na determinação da real prevalência das infecções pelo VIH.

The results of a serum inquiry for detection of antibodies against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus in a non selected group of children, patients of a general pediatric ward, are reported. Of the 441 cases, the ELISA test gave a positive result for 1.1% of them. This result was confirmed by the Western-Blot or ImmunoBlot test. None of the five children who tested positive had a previous history of blood transfusion. These children's mothers showed positive results to the ELISA test. Of four cases, at least one of the parents was IV drug addicted. In every case the transmission was vertical. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that hospital staff should take the necessary precautions when manipulating blood and secretions and it is recommended that serum inquiries be made on the wards of general hospitals in the attempt to establish reliable data on the prevalence of HIV.