Abstract
MTC transmission of HIV is a major public health challenge in Ethiopia; however there were a shortage of evidence on HIV sero status of exposed infants in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess, the HIV sero status and associated factors among HIV-exposed infants in selected public health facilities. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 public health facilities at Sidama zone SNNPR state, Ethiopia from May 1- 30/2019Gc. Medical record cards of HIV-exposed infants and their mothers enrolled from January 2014 to January 2018 was extracted using data extraction checklist. Magnitude and associated factors of HIV sero status of exposed infants was computed using SPSS version 21.0 software. A total of 203 HIV-exposed infants who had HIV DNA/PCR test results were included in the study. The overall prevalence of HIV among HIV exposed infants were nearly 9% (95% CI: 4.4, 12.8) Infants born from mothers’ with baseline CD4+ counts of mother less than 350, (AOR=5.629; 95% CI: 1.454, 21.79), Mothers who had WHO clinical stage I and II, (AOR=4.975; 95% CI: 1.342, 18.446), and Poor ART adherence (AOR=4.302; 95% CI: 1.100, 16.823) had an increased odds of HIV infection comparing to their counterparts. Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of HIV infection among infants born to HIV infected mothers was high in the study area. Baseline CD4+ counts, WHO clinical staging, and ART adherences of mothers are associated with their infants HIV status. Therefore, stakeholders including health care workers working at PMTCT centers should make create awareness on the effects of poor ART adherence and undertaking further rigorous longitudinal studies are recommended.
Highlights
MTCT of HIV is transmission of human immunodeficiency virus from HIV infected mother to exposed infants during pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal period of the pregnancy [1, 2]
Magnitude of HIV among exposed infants: The finding of this study show that among infants who had DNA/Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results, HIV sero status positive infants were 18 (8.9%) CI: (4.4, 12.8) and HIV sero status negative were 185 (91.1%) during the study period (Figure 1)
If appropriate preventive measures are not taking place, the risk of HIV among exposed infants might be ranked as tope five of infants’ mortality. This finding was slightly higher than compared to the global target in 2015, which was 5% among breastfeeding women [7] and to be study conducted in East and West Gojjam Zones, Northwest Ethiopia shows that the prevalence of MTCT of HIV was 5.9% (3.9–7.9), [32] and the study conducted in Oromia Regional State 7.70% [23]
Summary
MTCT of HIV is transmission of human immunodeficiency virus from HIV infected mother to exposed infants during pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal period of the pregnancy [1, 2]. According to the United Nations Programmer on HIV/AIDS reported that in 2016 an estimated 160,000 children were newly infected, and an projected 3.1 million children were living with HIV worldwide and there were nearby to 500,000 children infected with HIV through infected mother to exposed infants transmission each year [4]. According to USAID 2017 report, there were just about 1.4 million pregnant women, and 1.8 million children were livelihood with HIV/AIDS. The successful international pressure groups recommended that all pregnant and breastfeeding women to be on antiretroviral therapy, of CD4 T-cell count or clinical staging established the phase for the World Health Organization's properly named “Treat All” guidelines, eradicated numerous longstanding obstacles to treat HIV/AIDS [11]
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