title: Potential impact of new WHO criteria for antiretroviral treatment for prevention of mother-to- child HIV transmission.
abstract: We reviewed the potential impact of new WHO criteria for antiretroviral therapy using data from 1025 HIV-infected women and infants followed for 24 months in Lusaka, Zambia. The new criteria require initiating therapy among 68% of pregnant women and, if fully effective, would prevent 92% of maternal deaths and 88% of perinatal and postnatal infections. Using CD4 cell count below 350 cells/microl, irrespective of clinical stage, is more efficient and stricter CD4 cutoffs would be counter productive.
authors.affiliation: Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Grace M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Aldrovandi
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinkala
authors.forename: Chipepo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kankasa
authors.forename: Mwiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mwiya
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Thea
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019562:Viral Load; D014944:World Health Organization; D015024:Zambia