title: HIV-1-mother-to-child transmission and associated characteristics in a public maternity unit in Presidente Prudente, Brazil.
abstract: In children, vertical transmission is the main form of HIV infection. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of HIV-1 vertical transmission in mother-infant pairs in a public maternity ward in Presidente Prudente, SP. Additionally; we sought to identify characteristics associated with this form of transmission. The files of 86 HIV-1-infected mothers and their newborns referred to a Public Hospital from March 2002 to March 2007 were analyzed. The HIV-1-RNA viral load of the newborns was determined by bDNA. The HIV-1 vertical-transmission rate was 4.6%. Children that were born in the pre-term period and breastfed were at a higher risk of HIV-1 infection (p = 0.005 and p = 0.017 respectively) than children born at term and not breastfed. Prophylactic therapy with zidovudine after birth for newborns was associated with a lower risk of infection (p = 0.003). The number of newborns weighing < 2,500 g was significantly higher for infected children (p = 0.008) than for non-infected newborns. About 22.9% of mothers did not know the HIV-1 status of their newborns eight months after delivery. The study suggests that it is necessary to increase the identification of HIV-1 infection in pregnant women and their newborns as well as to offer and explain the benefits of ARV prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Universidade do Oeste Paulista, Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. luiz@unoeste.br
authors.forename: Luiz Euribel
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Prestes-Carneiro
authors.forename: Patrícia Rodrigues Naufal
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Spir
authors.forename: Armênio Alcântara
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Vera Lúcia Maria Alves
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral