Perinatal transmission of HIV-1

Authors:
  • PLPhilippe Lepage
    Philippe Lepage
  • FDFrançois Dabis
    François Dabis
  • DHDeo-Gratias Hitimana
    Deo-Gratias Hitimana
  • PMPhilippe Msellati
    Philippe Msellati
  • CGChristiaan Van Goethem
    Christiaan Van Goethem
  • ASAnna-Maria Stevens
    Anna-Maria Stevens
  • FNFrançois Nsengumuremyi
    François Nsengumuremyi
  • ABAnatholie Bazubagira
    Anatholie Bazubagira
  • ASAntoine Serufilira
    Antoine Serufilira
  • ACAndré De Clercq
    André De Clercq
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Abstract
We present the baseline results of a prospective cohort study on the perinatal transmission of HIV-1 in Kigali, Rwanda. HIV-1-antibody testing was offered to all women of urban origin delivering a live newborn at the maternity ward of the Centre Hospitalier de Kigali from November 1988 to June 1989; 218 newborns of 215 HIV-positive mothers were matched to 218 newborns of 216 HIV-negative mothers. The matching criteria were maternal age and parity. No differences in socioeconomic characteristics were observed between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. HIV-positive mothers more frequently reported a history of at least one death of a previously born child (P < 0.01) and a history of abortion (P < 0.001). Most of the HIV-positive women were asymptomatic, but 72.4% of them had a CD4: CD8 ratio < 1 versus 10.1% in the HIV-negative group (P < 0.001). The frequency of signs and symptoms was not statistically different in the two groups, except for a history of herpes zoster or chronic cough, which was more frequent among HIV-positive women. The rates of prematurity, low birth weight, congenital malformations and neonatal mortality were comparable in the two groups. However, infants of HIV-positive mothers had a mean birth weight 130g lower than the infants of HIV-negative mothers (P < 0.01). The impact of maternal HIV-1 infection on the infant seems limited during the neonatal period.