Vertical transmission of HIV in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Published in: AIDS (London) Vol. 17; no. 12; pp. 1853 - 1855
• Main Authors: CUSTODIO JOAO, Esau, CRUZ, Maria Leticia S, MENEZES, Jacqueline A, MATOS, Haroldo J, CALVET, Guilherme A, D'IPPOLITO, Marcos M, SALGADO, Luisa T, SILVA, Sonia S, BAZIN, Gabriela R, BRAGA, Ricardo C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 15.08.2003
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Cohort Studies; Developing Countries; Female; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - transmission; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Infectious diseases; Lamivudine - therapeutic use; Logistic Models; Medical sciences; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - drug therapy; Risk Factors; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Zidovudine - therapeutic use; South America; Brazil; America; Infection; Virus; Immunopathology; Viral disease; Retroviridae; AIDS; Vertical transmission; Human immunodeficiency virus; Maternal diseases; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus
• ISSN: 0269-9370; 1473-5571
• DOI: 10.1097/00002030-200308150-00016

A cohort of 297 HIV-infected pregnant women was followed from January 1996 to December 2001. The overall transmission rate was 3.57% and remained constant over time. Low birth-weight was independently associated with a higher risk of vertical transmission (P=0.0072), whereas a longer duration of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy was independently associated with a lower risk of transmission (P=0.0084). Further decreases in transmission should be obtained by initiating prophylaxis earlier in pregnancy.