Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on early infant diagnosis of HIV in Cape Town, South Africa
Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on early infant diagnosis of HIV in Cape Town, South Africa | |
| Creator | van Vollenhoven, Hendrike Kalk, Emma Kroon, Stuart M. Maseko, Tafadzwa Phelanyane, Florence Euvrard, Jonathan Fourie, Lezanne le Roux, Nicolene Nongena, Phumza | |
| Description | 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. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2024-03-18 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajhivmed.v25i1.1542 | |
| Source | Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine; Vol 25, No 1 (2024); 8 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/1542/3213
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1542/3214
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1542/3215
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1542/3216
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