MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 AND TYPE-2 AND DUAL INFECTION - A COHORT STUDY IN BANFORA, BURKINA-FASO

A prospective cohort study on the mother-to-child transmission of huma n immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV1), type 2 (HIV2) and dual positiv ity (HIV1 + HIV2) was carried out in Banfora, West Burkina Faso. The s tudy samples consist of 117 newborns of HIV-seropositive women matched to 234 newborns of HIV-seronegative women. Among cases, 91 were born of HIV1-seropositive mothers, 15 were horn of HIV2-seropositive mother s and 11 were born of HIV1 and HIV2 dual-seropositive mothers and were included in an 18-month follow-up. Calculation of the mother-to-child transmission rate was according to the recommendations of the Europea n Economic Community working group. The HIV1 mother-to-child transmiss ion rate was estimated to be 27.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 24.5 to 32.4) with one method and 25.5% (95% CI 13.5 to 37.5) with a second method. For HIV2, this rate was estimated to be 29.5% (95% CI 26.0 to 39.8) and was not statistically different from the HIV1 mother-to-chi ld transmission rate. No case of transmission was observed in children born of dual seropositive mothers. Survival rate at month 18 was sign ificantly lower for children born of HIV1 mothers: 83.7% (95% CI 78.2 to 92.2). Survival rates were similar between children born of HIV2-se ropositive (86.7), dual HIV1 + 2-positive (100) and seronegative mothe rs (92.0%). Findings suggest a higher mother-to-child transmission rat e of HIV2 in children born in Burkina Faso than in Europe and a low cl inical expression of HIV2 in children.