Abstract
BackgroundIn Brazil, the number of HIV cases has increased mostly amongst poor less educated women in the northeast region. This combination increased the risk for vertical transmission. This study aims to identify risk factors associated with HIV infection at delivery in Sergipe-NE Brazil.FindingsThis was a case-control study, with 39 cases and 117 controls that gave birth at the official health system hospitals. All patients were tested for HIV at hospital admission, using a rapid test and were interviewed about socioeconomic conditions and health attitudes and practices. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were performed to evaluate the factors associated with HIV infection.In the univariate analysis, association with HIV positivity was found for the variables "antenatal HIV test" (OR: 4.44; CI: 1.93 – 10.29) and "intravenous drug use" (OR = 12.08; 95% CI 1.28 – 8). Three patients were intravenous drug users, all HIV+. After logistic multivariate regression, not being tested for HIV during antenatal care (OR = 4.98; 95% CI: 2.13–12.22; p < 0.001) and lack of knowledge on how to prevent HIV infection (OR = 2.56; 95%CI: 1.09 – 6.27; p = 0.030) were independently associated with HIV positivity.ConclusionDrug use, limited knowledge about how to prevent AIDS, and lack of HIV testing during pregnancy were risk factors for infection with HIV. Although it was not conceived to evaluate effectiveness of procedures to prevent vertical transmission, the risk factors here detected may corroborate official recommendation for rapid HIV testing at delivery as an effective procedure to prevent vertical transmission.
Highlights
In Brazil, the number of HIV cases has increased mostly amongst poor less educated women in the northeast region
The AIDS epidemic in Brazil shows a downward trend towards stability since 1996, coinciding with the introduction of antiretroviral therapy
The increase in the prevalence of HIV infections among females resulted in an increase in the number of children infected via vertical transmission
Summary
In Brazil, the number of HIV cases has increased mostly amongst poor less educated women in the northeast region. This combination increased the risk for vertical transmission. Heterosexual transmission has increased since the early 90s, leading to an increased number of women testing positive for HIV [2,3]. This can be observed by the dramatic change from the 28:1 male-to-female ratio in the beginning of the epidemic to the 1.3:1 ratio of current HIV cases [4]. In Brazil, results from a sentinel surveillance project showed a rate of HIV positivity during pregnancy of 0.413% (95% confidence intervalCI: 0,294–0,533) in 2005 [6]; this is the same as our findings in Sergipe (0.42%) in the same period [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
