title: Vitamin A serostatus and heterosexual transmission of HIV: case-control study in Tanzania and review of the evidence.
abstract: Results from a randomized clinical trial suggested that vitamin A/beta-carotene supplementation to HIV-1-infected women during pregnancy and lactation may increase the risk of vertical transmission. Limited information is available on the potential role of vitamin A on heterosexual HIV transmission. This is a relevant question in many resource-limited settings where both vitamin A deficiency and HIV infection are highly prevalent. We conducted a case-control study (34 cases and 38 controls) nested within a cohort of HIV-negative women attending family planning clinics in Tanzania, to examine whether low serum concentrations at baseline were associated with the risk of seroconversion. There was not a significant association (OR = 2.14, 95% C I = 0.54, 8.45). In light of these and previous results, we conclude that there is not enough evidence yet to suggest a causal association between vitamin A and heterosexual transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, 02115, USA. evillamo@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villamor
authors.forename: Saidi H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kapiga
authors.forename: Wafaie W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Fawzi
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000635:transmission*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013636:Tanzania; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A