TEMPORAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL TRENDS OF ANTI-HIV-1 ANTIBODIES SCREENING AMONG NEWBORNS IN ITALY, 1990-1993

To describe the dynamic of HIV-1 prevalence in Italian childbearing wo men and to estimate the future incidence of pediatric AIDS due to vert ical transmission, dried-blood specimens collected from a consecutive sample of newborns in all Italian regions were examined for the presen ce of anti-HIV-l antibodies (HIV-Ab) after the routine neonatal screen ing program was completed. Of 555,722 blood samples collected and exam ined for HIV-Ab between 1990 and 1993, 550 (0.099%) were positive. Nat ionwide, the HIV seroprevalence decreased between 1990 and 1992 (0.124 % in 1990, 0.100% in 1991, 0.085% in 1992), and increased, as compared with that in the previous year, in 1993 (0.096%). In an univariate an alysis, HIV seroprevalence was positively associated with being born i n regions having higher AIDS cumulative incidence and in metropolitan areas, but negatively associated with year of delivery. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, only the AIDS cumulative incidence level of the delivery area and being born in a metropolitan area remained i ndependently associated with HIV seroprevalence. Our results show sign ificant geographical variation in the spread of HIV infection among ch ildbearing women in Italy and provide useful indications to target pre vention and care strategies for HIV-infected women and their children and to estimate the potential impact of implementing programs aimed at preventing vertical transmission of HIV infection.