PIP: It is no longer possible for health officials or politicians in Africa to deny the existence of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in their countries in the name of nationalism. Educational and research programs and appeals for international aid to fight the epidemic have become the rule. Almost all sub-Saharan African nations have sought World Health Organization (WHO) assistance for AIDS control. Children contracting the virus transplacentally before birth are among the population groups most affected by AIDS. Half of all AIDS cases in Africa are women, and their high fertility rates have led to a growing incidence of AIDS in children. Although reliable data are lacking, an estimated 6000 children and babies in Zambia are seropositive or ill, and in Rwanda 22% of AIDS victims are children. Some 10% of pregnant women in Zaire may carry the virus. Cases of AIDS in children also occur in Europe and the US, where it is estimated that 10,000-20,000 children under 13 will be AIDS carriers in 1991. Infants of infected mothers in France have a 50% chance of developing the virus, but in Africa the figure is lower. After birth, incubation of the virus is very rapid. The virus destroys not only T4 lymphocytes, but also the B lymphocytes which protect babies against bacteria. Symptoms appear in the first 6 months: cough, diarrhea, respiratory ailments, bacterial or fungal infections, and neurological problems if the virus attacks the brain. In Africa, use of contaminated needles for vaccinations and contaminated blood for transfusions have also been responsible for infecting some children with the AIDS virus. The possibility of infection through the mother's milk for breastfeeding babies has been raised; the evidence is inconclusive, but the WHO recommends pasteurization of human milk received by milk banks as a precaution. Prevention and the search for a cure are the most critical needs for AIDS control. Although moralizing should be avoided, it must be pointed out that sexual promiscuity in Africa is causing great harm, particularly since condoms are so rarely used. Health officials in African countries are now advising that injectable medications be avoided and that sterilized materials be used for circumcisions. At present, no child sick with AIDS has hope of a cure. Medical attention in Africa as elsewhere is focused on stabilizing the child's condition and avoiding opportunistic infections. Some treatments, such as gamma globuline, which have been effective elsewhere in controlling infections in children with AIDS, are not likely to be widely used in Africa because of their cost. Children with AIDS are not isolated in Africa. They may attend school and lead otherwise normal lives, without upsetting their neighbors.