Perinatal transmission of HIV-2 infection in malnourished children in Guinea Bissau
Ferro, A.; Gomez, P.; Andrian, C.; Perra, A.; Frongia, O.; Sechi, M.A.; Sabbatani, S.; Lillo, F.; Varnier, O.E.
New Microbiologica 17(1): 61-64
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 1121-7138 PMID: 8127231 Document Number: 422948
The authors tested blood samples of 147 malnourished children, 164 well-nourished children, and their 205 mothers with the goal of exploring the extent to which HIV-1 and HIV-2 were being transmitted perinatally in Guinea-Bissau. The children were attending a health center in the northern part of Guinea-Bissau and had been breast fed from birth to 20 months of age or longer. Analysis found antibodies to HIV-2 in 17 mothers and 2 malnourished children, one with pediatric AIDS. These findings demonstrate the occurrence of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-2 in the country and suggest a possible increased likelihood of detecting HIV-2 infection in malnourished children. The high seroprevalence of HIV-2 infection in a rural population without known risk factors may represent a hidden threat to the health of mothers and children.