title: Time for Option B+? Prevalence and characteristics of HIV infection among attendees of 2 antenatal clinics in Buea, Cameroon.
abstract: As countries consider a wider use of triple antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy, which in recent World Health Organization guidelines is called Option B+, this study sought to explore the potential implications of adopting Option B+ by characterizing HIV infection in pregnant women attending 2 semiurban antenatal clinics in Cameroon. In a descriptive cross-sectional study, consenting women were screened for HIV; positive samples were confirmed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test, and CD4 levels and HIV viral loads were determined using flow cytometry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The seroprevalence of HIV in the 407 pregnant women screened was 8.4% (95% confidence interval: 5.9%-11.5%). The majority (82.4%) of HIV-positive women had CD4 counts >350 cells/mm(3). A quarter (25%) had undetectable viral levels (<80 copies/mL). Adopting Option B+ in this setting would result in a 5-fold increase in the number of HIV-infected pregnant women being placed on lifelong triple ART.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Stephen Ekure
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Takow
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon CANTAM HIV Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon atashili@yahoo.ie.
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atashili
authors.affiliation: CANTAM HIV Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Enow-Tanjong
authors.affiliation: CANTAM HIV Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Martha T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mesembe
authors.affiliation: CANTAM HIV Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ikomey
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Lucy M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ndip
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Josephine C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mbuagbaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon CANTAM HIV Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ndumbe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D015995:Prevalence; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents
keywords: CD4; Cameroon; HIV; pregnancy; viral load