Risk for perinatal HIV-1 transmission according to maternal immunologic, virologic, and placental factors

Article Abstract:

HIV-positive pregnant women with high levels of CD8 lymphocytes and low levels of CD4 lymphocytes appear to have an increased risk of transmitting HIV to their infants. CD4 lymphocytes and CD8 lymphocytes are two types of white blood cells. Between 13% and 40% of infants born to HIV-positive women become infected with HIV, but why the majority of infants are not infected remains unclear. Of 323 infants born to HIV-positive mothers, 69 (26%) had laboratory-confirmed cases of HIV infection, 62 (19%) had unknown HIV status and the rest were HIV-negative. AIDS during pregnancy was rare among the HIV-positive women, and it was not associated with transmission of HIV. Persistent fever during pregnancy, high maternal levels of CD8 lymphocytes and low maternal levels of CD4 lymphocytes were all associated with an elevated risk of transmission. Inflammation of the placenta appeared to increase the risk of transmission, but this elevated risk was not related to maternal levels of either CD4 or CD8 lymphocytes.

Author: Quinn, Thomas C., St. Louis, Michael E., Brown, Christopher, Heyward, William L., Ryder, Robert W., Behets, Frieda, Oxtoby, Margaret, Kamenga, Munkolenkole, Nelson, Ann Marie, Manzila, Tarande, Batter, Veronique, Kabagabo, Uwa
Physiological aspects, HIV (Viruses), HIV, HIV infection in children, Pediatric HIV infections, CD4 lymphocytes, CD8 lymphocytes

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Epidemiologic and microbiologic correlates of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in sexual partnerships

Article Abstract:

All sexual partners of people with chlamydia infection should be tested and offered treatment. Researchers used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test 494 couples attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic. Half had symptoms but the rest were asymptomatic. PCR detected more chlamydia infections than culture. Fourteen percent of the men and 16% of the women tested positive. In one-fifth of the couples, at least one partner tested positive. In the 15 couples who both tested positive, genetic analysis revealed that they were infected with the same chlamydia strain.

Author: Quinn, Thomas C., Hook, Edward W., III, Gaydos, Charlotte, Rompalo, Anne, Viscidi, Raphael, Shepherd, Mary, Bobo, Linda
Sexually transmitted diseases, Diagnosis, Polymerase chain reaction, Chlamydia infections

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Trichomoniasis in pregnant human immunodeficiency virus-infected and human immunodeficiency virus-uninfected Congolese women: prevalence, risk factors, and association with low birth weight

Article Abstract:

Trichomonas infection appears to be a risk factor for low birth weight even in HIV-negative women. This was the conclusion of a study of 215 HIV-infected and 206 uninfected women in the Congo Republic.

Author: St. Louis, Michael E., Behets, Frieda, Nelson, Ann Marie, Sutton, Madeline Y., Sternberg, Maya, Nsuami, Malanda
Health aspects, Birth weight, Low, Low birth weight, Trichomoniasis

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Subjects list: Risk factors, Disease transmission
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