Background: A high rate of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been documented in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-exposed infants in industrialized settings, both in the pre- and post-highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era. Only limited data on the birth prevalence of congenital CMV among infants of HIV-infected women on prenatal antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis are available from sub-Saharan Africa, despite a high prevalence of both infections. We evaluated the prevalence of congenital CMV in HIV-exposed infants in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Methods: HIV-infected mothers were recruited in the immediate postnatal period at a referral maternity hospital between April and October 2012. Maternal and infant clinical data and newborn saliva swabs were collected. Saliva swabs were assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction for CMV. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to determine specific demographic, maternal, and newborn characteristics associated with congenital CMV.
Results: CMV was detected in 22 of 748 newborn saliva swabs (2.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9%-4.4%). Overall, 96% of mothers used prenatal ARV prophylaxis (prenatal zidovudine, 43.9%; HAART, 52.1%). Maternal age, gestational age, prematurity (<37 weeks' gestation), type of ARV prophylaxis, length of ARV prophylaxis, birth weight, small for gestational age, and infant feeding choice were not significantly different between CMV-infected and -uninfected infants. Maternal CD4 count <200 cells/μL during pregnancy was independently associated with congenital CMV (adjusted odds ratio, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-7.3). A negative correlation between CMV load in saliva and maternal CD4 count was observed (r = -0.495, n = 22, P = .019).
Conclusions: The birth prevalence of congenital CMV was high despite prenatal ARV prophylaxis, and was associated with advanced maternal immunosuppression.
Keywords: HIV; South Africa; antiretroviral prophylaxis; congenital CMV; prevalence.