Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40069769›Full record

ArticleAIDS research and therapy2025

High prevalence of low-level viremia among infants initiated on antiretroviral drugs following mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Immaculate Nankya, Eva Natukunda, Diana Rutebarika, Christine Matama, Roy Basiimwa, Paul Arikod, Faryad Muwabe, Caroline Otike, Cissy Kityo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in AIDS research and therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Immaculate NankyaJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda. inankya@jcrc.org.ug.
Eva NatukundaJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.
Diana RutebarikaJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.
Christine MatamaJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.
Roy BasiimwaJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.
Paul ArikodJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.
Faryad MuwabeJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.
Caroline OtikeJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.
Cissy KityoJoint Clinical Research Center, Plot 101 Lubowa Hill, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWith the current elimination of mother to child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, the number of HIV-positive newborns has greatly reduced. Some countries have successfully eliminated HIV infections among newborn babies.

methodsThis study was nested within the DRIBS (Drug Resistance testing among Infants at Baseline Study), which enrolled 100 infants at the time of treatment initiation between 2017 and 2023. Infants were followed for two years. Viral load (VL) was measured every six months and after completion of the three sessions of intensified adherence counseling (IAC). IAC and HIV drug resistance testing were performed for VL greater than 1000 copies/ml.

resultsThe median age at diagnosis was 79 (IQR, 57.75;140.75) days, with 4% of patients diagnosed within 6 weeks after delivery. The median age at the initiation of therapy was 110.5 (IQR, 87.0-162.0) days. The median baseline %CD4 was 26 (IQR, 18.75;32), with 9% of the babies being severely immunosuppressed (%CD4 < 15%). The median baseline log viral load was 4.44 (IQR, 3.19-5.58). At six months, 30% and 60% of the patients had a VL < 50 and < 1000 copies/ml, respectively. At 12 months, 36% and 69% of patients had a VL < 50 and < 1000 copies/ml, respectively. At 24 months, 63% and 83% had VL < 50 and < 1000 copies/ml, respectively. Post-IAC VL revealed that 35% of the children had low-level viremia (LLV) compared to mothers 11.5%. Kaplan-Meyer survival estimates showed that while it took 72 weeks for 50% of the mothers and infants to attain a VL less than 1000 copies/ml, it took 96 weeks for the infants to attain a VL < 50 copies/ml.

conclusionA Viral load < 1000 copies/ml is achieved much more slowly in pediatric patients, implying that it might take longer for babies to achieve the third 95 (95% virally suppressed) of the UNAIDS targets. Furthermore, the greater prevalence of LLV in pediatric patients than in mothers has important implications for the response to therapy.

Indexed as

Anti-HIV AgentsAnti-Retroviral AgentsHIV InfectionsInfectious Disease Transmission, VerticalViremiaDrug Resistance, ViralFemaleHIV-1HumansInfantInfant, NewbornMalePregnancyPregnancy Complications, InfectiousPrevalenceViral LoadAnti-HIV AgentsAnti-Retroviral AgentsAntiretroviral therapyIntensified adherence counselingLow-level viremiaMother-to-child transmission of HIV-1Viral loadViral suppression

Identifiers

PMID40069769
PMCPMC11899026

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.