A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF MOTHER-TO-INFANT HIV TRANSMISSION IN TRIBAL WOMEN FROM INDIA

The transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 from infected mothers to their babies was assessed by serologic, virologic, and clin ical means. Of the 160 antibody-positive women enrolled at the beginni ng of the study, 13 had overt clinical symptoms (CDC stage III/IV). Te rmination of pregnancy was done, on request, in seven of these cases, The rest delivered prematurely. A total of 143 parturient women and th eir infants were followed prospectively until the babies were 18 month s of age. Fifteen infants (91%) died of AIDS before 14 months of age. The remaining 128 children (91%) were alive at the end of the study pe riod. Seventy-four seropositive children (46%) became seronegative and were considered noninfected. None of the seronegative children revert ed to seropositive status despite the fact that they were breastfed. T he majority of the seropositive children (63%) became symptomatic and clinically ill during infancy. The overall mother-to-infant vertical t ransmission rate was 48%.