title: The rapid diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in mothers in Puerto Rico: a crucial testing strategy for maximal reduction of perinatal transmission.
abstract: This study was designed to evaluate early post partum rapid HIV testing of infants as surrogates for their mothers. In a screening of 971 infants whose mother's HIV-1 status was not known at delivery, 22 (= 2.26%) were found positive for antibodies by ELISA. Five were new cases and two (40%) were from transmitting mothers. This is in contrast with the UPR Women and Infants Transmission Study (UPR WITS) in which of 186 HIV-1 infected mothers none were transmitters. These were selected among thousands screened for anti-HIV-1 antibodies over a period of almost 5 years studied (September, 1996 through August, 2001). These results clearly indicate that all mothers at delivery should have a rapid test to determine their HIV-1 status to allow in the positive cases rapid intervention strategies to prevent perinatal transmission.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067. ghillyer@rcm.upr.edu
authors.forename: George V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Hillyer
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Febo
authors.forename: Clemente
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Díaz
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015995:Prevalence; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies