RNA detection and subtype C assessment of HIV-1 in infants with diarrhea in Ethiopia.
In the absence of chemoprophylaxis, HIV-1 transmission occurs in 13-42% of infants born to HIV-1 positive mothers. All exposed infants acquire maternal HIV-1 antibodies that persist for up to 15 months, thereby hampering diagnosis. In resource limited settings, clinical symptoms are the indices of established infection against validated laboratory-based markers. Here we enrolled 1200 children hospitalized for diarrheal and other illnesses. 20-25% of those tested, aged 15 months or younger, were found to be HIV-1-seropositive. Where sufficient plasma was available, HIV-1 RNA detection was performed using a subtype-insensitive assay, with 71.1% of seropositive infants presenting with diarrhea showing positive. From sub-typing analysis, we identified that viruses of the C' sub-cluster were predominated amongst infants. Although this study may overestimate the HIV-1 frequency through testing symptomatic infants, diarrhea can be seen as a useful marker indicating HIV-1 infection in infants less than 15 months old.
Ayele
Workenesh
W
Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Assefa
Tsehai
T
Lulseged
Sileshi
S
Tegbaru
Belete
B
Berhanu
Hiwot
H
Tamene
Wegene
W
Ahmedin
Zenit
Z
Tensai
Birzaf W
BW
Tafesse
Mengistu
M
Goudsmit
Jaap
J
Berkhout
Ben
B
Paxton
William A
WA
Debaar
Michel P
MP
Messele
Tsehaynesh
T
Pollakis
Georgios
G