Lloyd Tooke1, Alan R Horn, Michael C Harrison. 1. Department of Neonatology, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Lloyd.tooke@uct.ac.za
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prematurity increases the perinatal HIV transmission rate compared with term infants. There is sparse literature documenting the risk of transmission of HIV to extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of perinatal transmission of HIV to ELBW infants in a tertiary neonatal unit in South Africa. METHODS: A prospective database was maintained on all inborn ELBW infants over a 1-year period from March 2010 to February 2011. Survival and DNA HIV polymerase chain reaction results at 6 weeks were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 180 ELBW infants, 51 (28%) of these babies were HIV exposed. Of these 51 infants, 37 survived until 6 weeks of age. Polymerase chain reaction testing revealed 1 HIV-positive infant for a rate of 2.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.7-14.1%). Twenty-six (72%) of the 36 mothers received antiretroviral drugs, but only 16 (44%) had been treated for more than 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of HIV transmission in this cohort of ELBW infants is very low despite only 44% of the mothers receiving adequate antiretroviral drugs. We postulate that this is due to our high (89%) cesarean section rate, universal (100%) infant prophylactic antiretroviral drugs and the use of pasteurized breast milk.
BACKGROUND: Prematurity increases the perinatal HIV transmission rate compared with term infants. There is sparse literature documenting the risk of transmission of HIV to extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of perinatal transmission of HIV to ELBW infants in a tertiary neonatal unit in South Africa. METHODS: A prospective database was maintained on all inborn ELBW infants over a 1-year period from March 2010 to February 2011. Survival and DNA HIV polymerase chain reaction results at 6 weeks were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 180 ELBW infants, 51 (28%) of these babies were HIV exposed. Of these 51 infants, 37 survived until 6 weeks of age. Polymerase chain reaction testing revealed 1 HIV-positiveinfant for a rate of 2.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.7-14.1%). Twenty-six (72%) of the 36 mothers received antiretroviral drugs, but only 16 (44%) had been treated for more than 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of HIV transmission in this cohort of ELBW infants is very low despite only 44% of the mothers receiving adequate antiretroviral drugs. We postulate that this is due to our high (89%) cesarean section rate, universal (100%) infant prophylactic antiretroviral drugs and the use of pasteurized breast milk.
Authors: Mark F Cotton; Sandi Holgate; Aurelie Nelson; Helena Rabie; Catherine Wedderburn; Mark Mirochnick Journal: J Int AIDS Soc Date: 2015-12-02 Impact factor: 5.396