Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on early infant diagnosis of HIV in Cape Town, South Africa.
South Afr J HIV Med
; 25(1): 1542, 2024.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38628908
ABSTRACT
Background:
In South Africa, infants who are HIV-exposed are tested for HIV at birth and 10 weeks of age. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions resulted in reduced access to healthcare services and uncertain impact on early infant HIV testing.Objectives:
To describe the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions on early infant HIV testing and diagnosis in Cape Town, South Africa.Method:
This retrospective cohort study compares HIV-exposed infants born during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (2020) to those born in the same period the year before (2019). Laboratory and other data were abstracted from the Provincial Health Data Centre.Results:
A total of 2888 infants were included 1474 born in 2020 and 1413 in 2019. Compared to 2019, there was an increase in the 10-week HIV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) uptake in 2020 (71% vs. 60%, P < 0.001). There was also an increase in the proportion of infants who demised without 10-week testing or were lost to follow-up in 2020 compared to 2019 (8% vs. 5%, P = 0.017). Differences detected in birth HIV PCR positivity rates between the two groups (1.1% vs. 0.5%, P = 0.17) did not reach statistical significance; however, a significant increase in vertical transmission of HIV by 10 weeks old was found in the 2020 cohort (1.2% vs. 0.5%. P = 0.046).Conclusion:
Vertical transmission of HIV at 10 weeks increased in the Cape Town Metropolitan during the initial COVID-19 lockdown. There was also an increase in the proportion of deaths without testing by 10 weeks in the 2020 group.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article