Current HIV Research - Volume 11, Issue 2, 2013

The global epidemiology of HIV/AIDS is rapidly evolving in low and middle income countries. Women and adolescent females in Sub-Saharan Africa are at risk of HIV acquisition due to a myriad of complex biological, behavioral and structural factors. Primary HIV infection among women primarily drives the pediatric HIV epidemic. Postnatal transmission of HIV during breastfeeding is a major concern in LMIC, particularly in Sub-Sah Read More

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV continues to fuel the worldwide pediatric HIV epidemic. Without any intervention to prevent transmission, the rate of MTCT of HIV is estimated at 12-40%. The prevalence of pediatric HIV infection in a given community is the sensor for both the magnitude and the trajectory of the HIV epidemic in that community. A myriad of viral and host risk factors act in tandem to cause Read More

In low and middle-income countries (LMIC), transmission of HIV during breastfeeding represents a major public health challenge. Several viral, maternal clinical, immunological and genetic factors, as well as maternal-infant host factors and type of infant feeding may influence the risk of breastfeeding transmission of HIV. The mechanisms of breast milk HIV transmission are poorly understood. For mothers who are healthy Read More

The purpose of this article is to review prominent studies on HIV drug-resistance in mothers and their infants after the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent mother-to-child-transmission in resource-limited communities. The effects of drug-resistance on subsequent combination antiretroviral therapy are discussed, as are the probable mechanisms of acquisition and decay or persistence of drug-resistant mutants. Differences i Read More

Although pharmacological interventions have been successful in reducing prevention of maternal to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, there is concern that complete elimination through this mode of transmission will require other measures. Immunotherapies in infants or pregnant mothers may be able to eradicate this form of transmission. A recent vaccine trial in adults showed encouraging results, but as in most HIV safet Read More

Over the past 10 years substantial progress has been made in the implementation of prevention of mother-tochild transmission of HIV (PMTCT) interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In spite of this, new pediatric infections remain unacceptably high, contributing the majority (>90%) of the estimated 390,000 infections globally in 2010; and yet prolonged breastfeeding remains the norm and crucial to overall infant surviv Read More

Objective: Review key topics and recent literature regarding reproductive health and family planning needs for HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Electronic searches performed in PubMed, JSTOR, and Web of Science; identified articles reviewed for inclusion. Findings: Most HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa bear children, and access to antiretroviral therapy may increase childbearing desires and/or fertil Read More

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe male involvement in programmes for preventing mother-tochild transmission (PMTCT) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study questions guiding this review were: how are male partners involved in PMTCT programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa and what are the strategies for improvement of male involvement? Methods: An integrative review was conducted based on the data retriev Read More