HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Naniche, D. Articles by Menéndez, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Naniche, D. Articles by Menéndez, C.

Impact of Maternal Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection on Birth Outcomes and Infant Survival in Rural Mozambique

We assessed the effect of maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on birth outcomes and infant survival in rural Mozambique. Pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic were recruited. These women and their infants were followed-up for one year. Birth outcomes were assessed at delivery and infant HIV status was determined at 1 and 12 months of age. Women positive for HIV were more likely to have anemia at delivery than women negative for HIV (51.3% versus 35.4%; P < 0.001). Infants born to HIV-positive mothers had a significantly higher post-neonatal mortality rate than infants born to HIV-negative mothers (7.8% versus 1.9%; P < 0.001). The rate of transmission of HIV by breastfeeding during the first year of life was 15.1% (95% confidence interval = CI 7.6–22.4). Assessment of the impact of HIV infection on birth outcomes in rural Africa is essential for tailoring public health measures to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV and excess infant mortality.

Received September 15, 2008. Accepted for publication January 12, 2009.

Acknowledgments: We thank the women and children for their participation in the study and the VCT, field, clinic, and data management staff at the Centro de Investigaçao em Saúde de Manhiça, Mozambique for their continued dedication.

Financial support: This study was supported by grant SAF-05845 from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and grant 02-0 from the Banco de Bilbao, Vizcaya Argentaria Foundation. The Centro de Investigaçao em Saúde de Manhiça receives major core funding from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, and the VCT center at Manhiça District Hospital is supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya. Denise Naniche was supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Ramón y Cajal). María Lahuerta was supported by a grant from the Hospital Clinic Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer.

Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest.

^* Address correspondence to Denise Naniche, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona 08036, Spain. E-mail: dsuzanne{at}clinic.ub.es

Authors’ addresses: Denise Naniche, María Lahuerta, and Sergi Sanz, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona 08036, Spain, E-mails: dsuzanne{at}clinic.ub.es, mlahuerta{at}yahoo.com, and ssanz{at}clinic.ub.es. Anna Berenguera, Manhiça Health Research Centre, Street N12, Manhiça Village, C.P. 1929 Maputo, Mozambique. Azucena Bardají, John J. Aponte, Pedro L. Alonso, and Clara Menéndez, Barcelona Center for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona 08036, Spain, and Manhiça Health Research Centre, Street N12, Manhiça Village, C.P. 1929 Maputo, Mozambique, E-mails: abardaji{at}clinic.ub.es, john.aponte{at}cresib.cat, palonso{at}clinic.ub.es, and menendez{at}clinic.ub.es. Inacio Mandomando, Manhiça Health Research Centre, Street N12, Manhiça Village, C.P. 1929 Maputo, Mozambique and Instituto Nacional da Saúde, Ministerio da Saúde, Av. Eduardo Mondlane 1008, Maputo, C.P. 264, Maputo, Mozambique, E-mail: inacio.mandomando{at}manhica.net. Betuel Sigauque, Manhiça Health Research Centre, Street N12, Manhiça Village, C.P. 1929 Maputo, Mozambique and Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Av. Salvador Allende, 702, Maputo, Mozambique, E-mail: betuel.sigauque{at}manhica.net.

Reprints requests: Denise Naniche, Barcelona Centre for International Health, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer/ Hospital Clinic, Villarroel, 170 Barcelona, E-08036 Spain, E-mail: dsuzanne{at}clinic.ub.es.