Perinatal HIV infection: evaluation of the risk for the mother and child [abstract]

To investigate the longterm effects of perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection 64 children born to mothers who were seropositive for HIV were followed for an average of 15 months. All of the mothers were in either stage 1 or 2 of disease according to the Walter Reed classificatory system; 12 of these mothers were followed for 1 year after delivery. The infants were delivered vaginally artificially fed and received no blood products. Although all 64 children showed antibodies to HIV at birth these antibodies later disappeared in 25 of these infants between 5-14 months of age. Of the children studied at age 1 year and above 39 (63%) remained seropositive. 23 of these 39 children are asymptomatic 4 have lymphadenopathy 3 have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and 9 have AIDS-related complex (ARC). 2 of the 3 infants with AIDS died at 5 and 8 months of age. 75% of the children who remained seropositive beyond 1 year of age became symptomatic. These findings suggest a risk of perinatal transmission of HIV infection of 37% with a 75% chance of developing HIV-related disease in those infants who contract the infection.