AIDS can easily pass from mother to the newborn, then why do we not consider it to be a congenital disease (or syndrome)
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1$\begingroup$ Technically speaking, a 'congenital disease' is a term used to describe some (or any) disease that you had at birth. From that point of view, AIDS could be considered congenital too. But, usually, or most often, the words 'congenital disease' are used to explain those diseases which the mother does not have but the child has. Typically, those would not be diseases caused by some sort of germ. $\endgroup$– EbbinghausCommented Feb 1, 2016 at 19:57
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1$\begingroup$ @JordiZambrino - I'm not sure that's correct; e.g.congenital syphllis. $\endgroup$– anongoodnurseCommented Feb 1, 2016 at 21:56
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$\begingroup$ Why do you think it is not considered to be acquired congenitally? $\endgroup$– anongoodnurseCommented Feb 1, 2016 at 22:02
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$\begingroup$ @anongoodnurse do you mean congenital syphilis because it is caused by Treponema pallidum? Or because it is transmitted to the foetus pre-birth via the placenta? Are there further exceptions to the "known" congenital diseases? $\endgroup$– EbbinghausCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 19:57
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1$\begingroup$ @JordiZambrino - yes, there are. That was just an example. Maybe the whole thing could be better expressed by the use of "congenitally acquired" instead of simply "congenital," e.g. congenitally acquired HIV? $\endgroup$– anongoodnurseCommented Feb 3, 2016 at 20:15
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A congenital disorder or disease is a disorder that is present at birth. This term can be applied to many conditions, including some that are infections. More typically, the term is used for developmental birth defects such as spina bifida and cleft palate.
Although HIV/AIDS can be congenital (since a mother has about a 25% chance of passing it to her newborn), most cases of HIV/AIDS are not transmitted by pregnancy and birth, but rather by sexual contact between adults. Hence it is inappropriate to call AIDS congenital since most cases do not occur in newborns. This can be contrasted with, for instance, spina bifida and cleft palate, which essentially only occur in newborns and so can reasonably be called congenital disorders or diseases.
A specific case of HIV/AIDS, one which has occurred in a newborn, can be called congenital HIV/AIDS, but HIV/AIDS cannot, in general, be called congenital.
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2$\begingroup$ Congenital HIV and Childhood AIDS. You should probably add more detail. Of course HIV can be congenital, and should be called so when the criteria are met. $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 1, 2016 at 21:59
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$\begingroup$ That was my initial thought that we can not generalize that its congenital.Although it could be in case of a pregnant mother suffering from AIDS though a very less chance of occuring is there $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 2, 2016 at 2:59