HIV testing at birth: Are we getting it right?
Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine
| Field | Value | |
| Title | HIV testing at birth: Are we getting it right? | |
| Creator | Bisschoff, Chanté Coulon, Jasmine Isaacs, Ziva van der Linde, Lavinia Wilson, Linley Van Zyl, Riana Joubert, Gina | |
| Description | Background: Birth polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing improves early detection of HIV and allows for early treatment initiation. National guidelines exist, but it is unknown whether these are being implemented correctly.Objectives: To determine whether HIV-exposed infants at the Mangaung University Community Partnership Programme Community Health Centre (MUCPP CHC) received PCR tests at birth, if HIV-positive infants were initiated on treatment, if follow-up dates were scheduled and the percentage of mothers or caregivers who returned to collect the results.Methods: The study was a retrospective descriptive file audit (1304 files) of births from 01 January to 31 December 2016 at MUCPP CHC. The study sample was 428 infants born to HIV-positive mothers. The birth register was used to collect the infants’ HIV PCR test barcodes. The birth and 10-week PCR results were retrieved from an electronic database at the Virology Department, University of the Free State.Results: In total, 375 infants received a birth PCR test (87.6%) of which 4 (1.1%) tested HIV positive and 327 (87.2%) negative. Follow-up tests were not scheduled. However, 145 (44.3%) HIV-negative infants returned for a 10-week test. Irrespective of the PCR birth result, 157 (36.7%) infants were brought for a 10-week follow-up test at which time 3 (1.9%) tested positive and 151 (96.2%) negative.Conclusion: The majority of HIV-exposed infants received a PCR test at birth; however, the clinic is below the national target (90%) for HIV testing. A record-keeping system of infants’ visits does not exist at MUCPP CHC, making it impossible to determine whether HIV-positive infants were started on antiretroviral treatment. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2019-06-27 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajhivmed.v20i1.951 | |
| Source | Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine; Vol 20, No 1 (2019); 5 pages 2078-6751 1608-9693 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/951/1503
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/951/1502
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/951/1504
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/951/1501
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