Editorial

Unmet needs of high-risk mothers reduce success of antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected infants

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Z Mvo, V Ntlantsana, N Bengu, J Millar, J Roider, R Bhoola, M Krishna, Y Graza, J van Lobenstein, C Kapongo, C Kogielambal, K Sprenger, M Archary, T Ndung'u, P Goulder

Abstract


In the era of effective prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the same psychosocioeconomic factors that predispose to mother-to-child transmission also substantially increase the likelihood of antiretroviral therapy failure in infected infants. For HIV-infected infants to benefit from early infant diagnosis and treatment initiation, into which much funding and effort is now invested, it is vital that these unmet needs of high-risk mothers are urgently attended to. From an ongoing study of early infant diagnosis and treatment following in utero transmission in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, we describe four cases to highlight these challenges facing transmitting mothers that contribute to treatment failure in their infants.

Authors' affiliations

Z Mvo, Umkhuseli Innovation and Research Management, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

V Ntlantsana, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

N Bengu, Umkhuseli Innovation and Research Management, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

J Millar, Umkhuseli Innovation and Research Management, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, UK

J Roider, HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, UK

R Bhoola, Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

M Krishna, Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Y Graza, Stanger Hospital, Durban, South Africa

J van Lobenstein, Stanger Hospital, Durban, South Africa

C Kapongo, Lower Umfolozi Regional War Memorial Hospital, Empangeni, South Africa

C Kogielambal, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Durban, South Africa

K Sprenger, Umkhuseli Innovation and Research Management, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

M Archary, Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

T Ndung'u, HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa; Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany

P Goulder, HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, UK

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Cite this article

South African Medical Journal 2018;108(8):609-610. DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2018.v108i8.13376

Article History

Date submitted: 2018-07-25
Date published: 2018-07-25

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