Where have all the children gone? High HIV prevalence in infants attending nutrition and inpatient entry points.

Introduction: Despite notable progress towards PMTCT, only 50% of HIV-exposed infants in sub-Saharan Africa were tested within the first 2 months of life and only 30% of HIV-infected infants are on antiretroviral treatment. This study assessed HIV prevalence in infants and children receiving care at various service entry points in primary healthcare facilities in Uganda.

Methods: A total of 3600 infants up to 24 months of age were systematically enrolled and tested at four regional hospitals across Uganda.

Rapid Serological Tests Ineffectively Screen for HIV Exposure in HIV-Positive Infants.

Background: Data on the performance and utility of rapid serological tests in infants to determine HIV exposure are unclear and in some instances contradictory. This study sought to understand the performance of rapid serological tests in high HIV burden, high Option B+ coverage settings to be used as an HIV exposure screening tool.

Methods: A total of 3600 infants up to 24 months of age at 4 regional hospitals in Uganda were systematically enrolled and tested simultaneously using both HIV rapid serological and nucleic acid-based tests.

Impact of SMS/GPRS Printers in Reducing Time to Early Infant Diagnosis Compared With Routine Result Reporting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Despite significant gains made toward improving access, early infant diagnosis (EID) testing programs suffer from long test turnaround times that result in substantial loss to follow-up and mortality associated with delays in antiretroviral therapy initiation. These delays in treatment initiation are particularly impactful because of significant HIV-related infant mortality observed by 2-3 months of age. Short message service (SMS) and general packet radio service (GPRS) printers allow test results to be transmitted immediately to health care facilities on completion of testing in the laboratory.

Improved access to early infant diagnosis is a critical part of a child-centric prevention of mother-to-child transmission agenda.

Background: Prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) programs have made it possible to achieve dramatic reductions in the rate of vertical HIV transmission. However, high attrition, particularly after delivery, has limited the impact of these interventions for HIV-exposed infants who remain at risk through the end of breastfeeding.

Design And Methods: A review of current literature on early infant diagnosis (EID) testing and country experience in low-and middle-income countries.