HIV Epidemiology, Virtual Elimination Challenges, Late Seroconversion, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, HIV Exposed Infants, Lost to Follow Up, Pediatric Prophylaxis
Authors:
Ondiegi, Bellah Mumbo
Onguru, Daniel
Oteyo, Everlyne Atieno
Were, Vincent Omondi
Amolo, Asito Stephen
Journal:
IJIRES
Volume:
7
Number:
1
Pages:
26-38
Month:
January
ISSN:
2349-5219
BibTex:
Abstract:
Background: Despite the scale-up and proven efficacy of the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT), the intervention has failed to achieve virtual elimination of HIV infection among exposed infants in Kenya. This study investigated the determinants of late sero-conversion time among a retrospective cohort of HIV exposed infants who subsequently seroconverted between 2010 and 2017. Methods: Institution based retrospective follow up study was carried out at nine health facilities in Mbita and Suba sub-counties. The maternal child health registers and electronic databases were used to identify the mother-baby pair. Data abstraction was done using a tool developed by adopting the Kenya Ministry of Health's national HIV exposed infant follow-up card. Data entered in an excel spreadsheet, checked for completeness, imported and analyzed using STATA version 14. Chi-square (χ2) followed by binary and multivariate logistic regression were carried out to identify the association. Results: Out of 254 infant-mother-pair information, most (53.4%) of infants were aged between 0-6 months and the majority (52%) seroconverted late. Maternal secondary level of education reduced the risk of sero-conversion by 83% (aOR = 0.17; 0.34-0.87 p