Early infant diagnosis of HIV-I infection using dried blood spots among children born to seropositive mothers in Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Lokoja

Early diagnosis of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in infants provides a critical opportunity to strengthen follow-up of HIV- exposed children using dried blood spots and assure early access to antiretroviral treatment for infected children. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HVI-1 infection in infants born to HIV-seropositive mothers. Early infant diagnosis of HIV sub-type I was carried out using on dried blood spots of 286 babies born to HIV-I seropositive mothers attending the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja - Kogi State, Nigeria, between the months of July to December, 2013. Data obtained was analyzed using Gene Amp PCR System 9700. The overall rate of HIV-I vertical transmission from infected mothers to their babies was 14.5%. High transmission rates 63.5%was seen in babies whose mothers could not get any form of interventions with the least transmission rates seen in babies whose mothers either took HAART or were one form of ARV or the other (0 – 1.0%). Babies who took nevirapine as prophylaxis after delivery had lower rate (1%) of transmission. From the 30 women that mix-fed their babies, 6.7% transmission rate was recorded.Lack of antiretroviral drugs by HIV-I positive pregnant women was found to be associated with high rate of HIV-I transmission (p<0.05). Early intervention of mother to child transmission of HIV-1 infection using Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, exclusive breastfeeding practice as well as constant visit to Tertiary Hospitals for counseling and management of HIV infection reduced the rate of infection among the infants born to seropositive mothers.