Abstract:

Introduction: A critical opportunity to strengthen follow-up of HIV-exposed children and assure early access to ARV treatment for infected children is provided by early infant diagnosis of HIV. This study describes findings from an EID program and the effectiveness of PMTCT intervention in Benue State, Nigeria.

Methods: This was a retrospective study. The study population comprised all perinatally HIV exposed children aged six weeks to 18 months who had Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples taken for a DNA PCR test between January - December 2017 were enrolled for this study. Details of the ARV regimen received to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), infant feeding, HIV DNA PCR test results and turnaround time (TAT) for results were analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Results 85.9% of mother-baby pairs received ARVs and 98.4% babies had ever been breastfed. Transmission rates for mother-baby pairs who received ARVs for PMTCT was 1.5% compared to 33% when neither baby nor mother received an intervention. Overall the prevalence of transmission in this study is 3.9% irrespective of intervention. The mean and median turnaround time for test results were 69 days (95% CI: 67.89-70.12) and 56 days respectively

Conclusions. Reduction of MTCT of HIV is possible with effective PMTCT intervention, including improved access to ARVs and appropriate infant feeding practices. The PMTCT programme in Benue State was found to be effective and achieved outcomes comparable to similar setting. Triple combination ARV drugs is feasible and resulted in low MTCT rates under routine clinic conditions in resource-limited setting.

Keywords: mother-to-child transmission of HIV, early infant diagnosis, breastfeeding, vertical transmission.

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