Intrapartum human immunodeficiency virus transmission rate in a central hospital in the Western Cape province after universal antiretroviral therapy roll-out

Tian A van der Merwe; Gert U van Zyl; Carl J Lombard; Gerhard B Theron

doi:10.4102/sajid.v35i1.192

Intrapartum human immunodeficiency virus transmission rate in a central hospital in the Western Cape province after universal antiretroviral therapy roll-out

S Afr J Infect Dis. 2020 Dec 3;35(1):192. doi: 10.4102/sajid.v35i1.192. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Tian A van der Merwe¹, Gert U van Zyl^{2

3}, Carl J Lombard⁴, Gerhard B Theron¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
² Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
³ National Health Laboratory Service, Tygerberg Virology, South Africa.
⁴ Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.

Abstract

The national human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) mother-to-child transmission rate at 6-10 weeks post-partum was 0.9% in 2016. There is a paucity of data about the intrapartum transmission rate after lifelong antiretroviral therapy was implemented in 2015. We assessed all pregnant women living with HIV who delivered at Tygerberg Hospital in 2017. Positive polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) at birth indicated an in utero transmission rate of 0.8%. One infant with a negative PCR at birth tested positive at 6-10 weeks. The intrapartum transmission rate was low (0.08%). About 25% of infants were lost to follow-up after birth.

Keywords: HIV; PMTCT; birth; human immunodeficiency virus; intrapartum; mothers; prevention of mother-to-child transmission.