The role of vertical transmission and health care-related factors in HIV infection of children: a community study in rural Uganda.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To determine the probable route of transmission of HIV to children aged 12 years or younger in a rural area of Uganda from 1999 through 2000 and to examine associations between HIV infection and health care-related variables.

METHODS:

The HIV infections status for 6991 children was determined from 1 round of an ongoing population surveillance system, and the reported numbers of injections in the past year and blood transfusions were determined for 5922 of these children based on a medical questionnaire. Data from the surveillance system and from an additional survey were used to assess the potential for vertical infection from a mother to her child.

RESULTS:

The HIV prevalence among children was 0.4%. Of 23 definite and 4 probable cases of HIV infection in children, vertical transmission was not possible for 1 case, not likely for another case, and possibly not vertical for another case. The population-attributable fraction for vertical transmission was between 90% and 94%. Large numbers of injections in the past year and ever having a blood transfusion were only associated with HIV infection in children exposed to vertical transmission.

CONCLUSIONS:

Up to 10% of HIV infections in children in the study area were not attributable to vertical transmission, and thus were possibly attributable to iatrogenic transmission. Associations seen between health care-related variables and HIV were likely to be attributable to treatment for AIDS-related illness in children infected vertically.

• Authors: Samuel Biraro, Linda A Morison, Jessica Nakiyingi-Miiro, James A G Whitworth, Heiner Grosskurth
• Journal: Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) (J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr) Vol. 44 Issue 2 Pg. 222-8 (Feb 01 2007) ISSN: 1525-4135 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17179771 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Blood Transfusion (statistics & numerical data)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Cross Infection (epidemiology)
• Delivery of Health Care
• Female
• HIV Infections (epidemiology, transmission)
• Humans
• Iatrogenic Disease (epidemiology)
• Infant
• Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical (statistics & numerical data)
• Injections (statistics & numerical data)
• Male
• Prevalence
• Rural Health
• Statistics as Topic
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Uganda (epidemiology)