Maternal HIV and Paediatric Lung Health.
With improved prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, paediatric HIV disease is less common. However, the number of HIV exposed but uninfected infants is growing. Exposure to maternal HIV impacts infant respiratory health through an increase in known risk factors such as increased preterm birth and low birth weight, suboptimal breastfeeding, increased psychosocial stressors and increased exposure to infective pathogens. Exposure to the HIV virus and altered maternal immune environment result in immunologic changes in the infant that may contribute to respiratory disease risk. HIV exposed infants are at increased risk for severe pneumonia with poorer outcomes compared to unexposed infants. Maternal ART and optimal nutrition, including breastfeeding in high infective disease burden settings, reduce morbidity and mortality in HIV exposed infants and should be prioritized. The impact of exposure to maternal HIV on normal lung growth and risk for chronic respiratory disease is unknown and warrants further investigation.
Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: slogrove@gmail.com.
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Slogrove
Division of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Electronic address: frigati@sun.ac.za.
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Frigati
Division Pulmonology, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Klipfontein Road, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa. Electronic address: Diane.Gray@uct.ac.za.
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Gray
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents
HIV; infant; maternal exposure; respiratory disease