HIV Seroprevalence in children whose mothers were seronegative at antenatal care booking in an immunization centre in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV infection is the main mode of transmission in children. The Prevention of mother to child transmission is targeted at reducing the transmission of HIV to infants of infected mothers. However, this has not appreciably created the desired impact in some centres. The study presents a preliminary report from an immunization centre of the HIV sero-status in children whose mothers were sero- negative at antenatal booking. One hundred and fifty healthy children of consenting mothers who were HIV sero-negative at antenatal care booking were recruited into the study. Bio data of the children and the socioeconomic status of parents were determined. All recruited infants were screened for HIV 1&2 antibodies and results analysed. All positive infants were referred for DNA-PCR. Eight (5.3%) of the 150 children tested positive to HIV. Half of the seropositive infants belong to the middle social class all mothers of seropositive infants were HIV positive. One of the five seropositive infants had positive DNA-PCR while three were lost to follow up. The sero-positivity of HIV infection among infants whose mothers were previously negative during ANC booking was relatively high. A second HIV screening should be done shortly before delivery is recommended and children presenting at immunization clinic whose mothers did not have screening late in pregnancy should be screened.

Keywords

HIV sero prevalence - immunization - infants