[Why are HIV-infected infants still being born in Spain?].

INTRODUCTION

Despite the success of preventive measures against mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus-1 and -2 (HIV-1 and -2) in developed countries, HIV-infected infants continue to be born. The aim of this study was to evaluate failures in the prevention of MTCT and the clinical characteristics of infected infants.

METHODS

The Foundation for the Investigation and Prevention of AIDS in Spain (FIPSE) Cohort in Madrid prospectively follows up children at risk of MTCT HIV born in eight public hospitals in Madrid. From May 2000 to December 2005, 632 children born to HIV-infected mothers were evaluated. Data from pregnancy follow-up, antiretroviral therapy (ART), and symptoms at diagnosis in infected infants were analyzed.

RESULTS

Nine infants were infected. The rate of vertical transmission was 1.42 (95% CI 0.7-2.68). Of the nine mothers, seven had not received ART during pregnancy (and five had not received ART at delivery). Of the mothers who received ART, one had only done so for the last month of pregnancy. Two infants were given three drugs as prevention of MTCT, one received bitherapy and six received monotherapy. The median age at diagnosis was 2.4 months (range 7 days-2 years). The mean plasma viral load at diagnosis was 276,000 copies/ml (range: 11,900-1,000,000). Five of the infants were symptomatic at diagnosis (P. jirovaci pneumonia in two, sepsis in one, recurrent bacterial infections in one, hepatosplenomegaly in one). Four of the nine infants had been admitted to hospital prior to HIV diagnosis.

DISCUSSION

Missed opportunities for the prevention of MTCT were identified in eight of the nine HIV-infected infants (89%). Administration of AZT during labor in HIV-infected mothers and triple therapy for the prevention of MTCT in high risk infants is not universal. Hospital admission in young infants at risk might lead to suspicion of infection in infants born to HIV-infected mothers. Improved implementation of all the preventive measures for MTCT should be encouraged.