ArticleThe Journal of infectious diseases2026
HIV and Syphilis Coinfection in Pregnancy and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Uganda.
Mehal Churiwal, Timothy Mwanje Kintu, Onesmus Byamukama, Ingrid V Bassett, Mark J Siedner, Anacret Byamukama, Edna Tindimwebwa, Pooja Chitneni, Julian Adong, Elias Kumbakumba and 3 more
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In one paragraphArticle in The Journal of infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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5 · Who and what moneyAuthors and funding
13 authors.
Mehal ChuriwalDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Timothy Mwanje KintuFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Onesmus ByamukamaFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.ORCID 0009-0006-1910-9761 Ingrid V BassettMassachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6920-6080 Anacret ByamukamaKabwohe Clinical Research Centre, Kabwohe, Uganda.
Pooja ChitneniHarvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Julian AdongFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Elias KumbakumbaFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Stephen AsiimweFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Joseph NgonziFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Lisa M BebellMassachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0077-6522 Funding
The impact of HIV viral diversity and cellular immunity on HIV pathogenesisP30AI060354 · NIAID · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (MEDICAL SCHOOL) · PI ARTHUR Y KIM · 2004 to 2026
$94.4MThe Harvard Clinical and Translational Science CenterUL1TR002541 · NCATS · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · PI NADLER, LEE MARSHALL · 2018 to 2022
$93.0MMentoring in patient-oriented research on HIV prevention in the US and South AfricaK24AI141036 · NIAID · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI Ingrid Valerie Bassett · 2019 to 2026
$1.1MHIV Infection, Placental Inflammation, and Early Childhood Outcomes in HIV-exposed, Uninfected Infants in UgandaK23AI138856 · NIAID · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI BEBELL, LISA M · 2019 to 2023
$1.1MDevelopment and assessment of an HIV disclosure intervention for men in UgandaK23MH126771 · NIMH · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI Pooja Rao Chitneni · 2022 to 2026
$964kaffiliated academic healthcare centersAmerican Society of Tropical MedicineBurroughs Wellcome FundCharles H. Hood FoundationFICGlobal Health Finish LineHarvard CatalystHarvard UniversityHarvard University CenterMassachusetts General HospitalMassachusetts General Hospital CenterNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases K23AI138856National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases K24AI141036NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR002541NCINHLBINIANIAIDNIAID NIH HHS K23 AI138856NIAID NIH HHS K24 AI141036NIAID NIH HHS P30 AI060354NICHDNIDANIDCRNIDDKNIH HHSNIH HHS P30AI060354NIMHNIMHDNIMH NIH HHS K23 MH126771NINROAR UL1TR002541The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science CenterTropical Infectious Diseases
6 · The paper itselfAbstract
backgroundDespite increasing global syphilis incidence, little is known about the combined impact of maternal HIV and syphilis coinfection. We evaluated effects of HIV/syphilis coinfection in pregnancy on birth outcomes.
methodsWe conducted 2 prospective birth cohort studies in Uganda from 2017 to 2023. Our primary outcome was birthweight. Our secondary outcome was a composite adverse birth outcome (birthweight <2.5 kg, stillbirth, early neonatal death, or 5-min APGAR<7). We compared outcomes by HIV and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay (TPPA) seropositivity and fitted multivariable regression models.
resultsTreponema pallidum particle agglutination assay seroprevalence was 12% (118/967); 19% (94/483) among WHIV and 5% (24/484) among women without HIV. Only 48% of TPPA-seropositive women reported syphilis testing during antenatal care. Stillbirth and early neonatal death were higher among TPPA seropositive (12%, 15/118) than seronegative (4%, 32/849) participants. Low birthweight was associated with HIV seropositivity (-0.1 kg, 95% CI -0.15, -0.04), younger maternal age (0.01 kg per year, 95% CI 0.01, 0.02), and lower gestational age (0.07 kg per week, 95% CI 0.06, 0.09) but not TPPA serostatus. The composite outcome was associated with lower maternal and gestational age.
conclusionsWe report high TPPA seroprevalence, low syphilis testing rates, and associations with adverse birth outcomes, emphasizing the need to improve prenatal syphilis testing and treatment.
Indexed as
CoinfectionHIV InfectionsPregnancy Complications, InfectiousPregnancy OutcomeSyphilisAdultBirth WeightFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornPregnancyProspective StudiesSeroepidemiologic StudiesStillbirthTreponema pallidumUgandaearly neonatal deathmaternal coinfectionsstillbirthsub-Saharan AfricaTPPA
Identifiers
PMID40884500
PMCPMC12418809
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