Abstract:
INTRODUCTION: Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is still the major mode of transmission of HIV in the childhood period. Worldwide, 1.5 million pregnant women were living with HIV in 2013 with 90% of them in sub-Saharan African countries. The rate of pediatric HIV infections in sub- Saharan Africa remains unacceptably high. Global plan towards the elimination of vertical transmission by the end of 2015 is being implemented.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence HIV infection and factors for transmission among HIV exposed infants, Dessie, Woldya and Boru hospitals, Northeast Ethiopia.
METHODS: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted at Dessie, Woldia and Boru hospitals from March 30 to June 4, 2015. This study considers all HIV exposed infants’ and their mothers’ from September 2013 to January 2015 by extracting secondary data purposively. Sample size was determined using single population proportion formula. Pre- tested and structured checklist which is adopted from the national standard HIV exposed infant follow up chart and PMTCT registration log book was used to collect the data. A 95% CI and P – value of 0.05 was used to measure the statistical significance and/or to measure the strength of association.
RESULT: A total of 281(93%) infant and mother paired records were included. The prevalence of HIV among exposed infants was 4.6%; 95% CI (2.1, 7.1). Mixed infant feeding (AOR= 7.25, 95% CI: 1.97, 26.69), home delivery (AOR=5.71, 95% CI: 1.48, 22.07) and failure to give ARV prophylaxis (AOR=4.46, 95% CI: 1.02, 19.55) were factors that increased the odds of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in this study.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: the prevalence of MTCT was 4.6% in the study areas. The likelihood of acquiring HIV infection was higher among infants who had mixed feeding, born at home and infants who did not took ARV prophylaxis. Exclusive breast feeding practice, attending institution based labour and delivery and infant ARV prophylaxis was recommended in this study. Key words: HIV exposed infants, prevalence, Ethiopia.
