Author(s)

Elon Warnow Isaac^1,2, Ayomikun Ajani³, Jalo Iliya¹, Mohammed Manga^2,4, Abubakar Joshua Difa^2,5, Oyeniyi Christianah Oluwaseun², Muhammad Danlami Hassan⁶

¹Department of Paediatrics, College of Medical Sciences, Gombe State University, Gombe, Nigeria.
²Infectious Disease Training and Research Group Gombe, Gombe, Nigeria.
³Kettering General Hospital University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Kettering, United Kingdom.
⁴Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medical Sciences Gombe State University, Gombe, Nigeria.
⁵Department of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences Gombe State University, Gombe, Nigeria.
⁶Department of Molecular Microbiology, Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Gombe, Nigeria.

Introduction: Transitioning to more efficacious Antiretrovirals for HIV infected pregnant women and infant prophylaxis has reduced Mother to child transmission of HIV significantly. This study aimed to determine HIV infection status in HIVexposed infants who had their first DNA polymerase chain reaction test in our molecular Laboratory. Subjects, Materials and Methods: Dried Blood Spots for HIV DNA results from 5 states between 2009 and 2020 were analyzed in the PCR laboratory of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe. Results: Nine thousand eight hundred and twenty-three Human Immunodeficiency Virus Deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase Chain Reaction results were analysed; 4937 (50.2%) were males. During the study period, there was an overall declining trend in the mother-to-child transmission rate from 3.8% in 2009 to 1.0% in 2020. 6120 (62.3%) of HIV + mothers received Highly active antiretroviral therapy HAART before pregnancy. 7845 (76.2%) of the infants received Nevirapine prophylaxis. Dried blood spot samples were collected from 4077 (41.5%) at 6 - 8 weeks. 8438 (85.9%) received cotrimoxazole. 9469 (96.4%) were ever breastfed. Of the 9823 HIV DNA PCR results, 255 (2.6%) were positive while 69/4077 (1.7%) and 109/2662 (4.1%) were positive for HIV DNA at 6 - 8 weeks and > 12 weeks respectively. (p = 0.001). 86/747 (11.5%) of infants whose HIV-positive mothers received no ARVS were HIV DNA positive. (p = 0.001). 106/884 (12.0%) of infants who had no Antiretroviral prophylaxis had positive HIV DNA results; 7/413 (1.7%) with Zidovudine/Nevirapine prophylaxis had positive results. (p = 0.001). 246/9469 (2.6%) of infants that were ever breastfed were positive for HIV DNA; 11/354 (3.0%) that never breastfed had positive HIV DNA. Conclusion: Lack of maternal/infant ARVs and prolonged breastfeeding increased the risk of infant HIV infection.

Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, Antiretrovirals, HIV Exposed Infants, Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase Chain Reaction, Early Infant Diagnosis

Isaac, E. , Ajani, A. , Iliya, J. , Manga, M. , Difa, A. , Oluwaseun, O. and Hassan, M. (2023) Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Polymerase Chain Reaction Status of HIV Exposed Infants in a Sub Regional Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV Programme during the Period 2009-2020. Open Journal of Epidemiology, 13, 328-341. doi: 10.4236/ojepi.2023.134024.