Maternal immunologic and virologic risk factors for infant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection: Findings from the Women and Infants Transmission Study

Abstract

Maternal virus load of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and maternal immunity are both associated with risk of an infected infant. The interrelationship of these two variables in describing that risk was assessed in a multisite study of 475 mother-infant pairs. Infant infection was associated with low CD4 cell percentage, high CD8, CD8/CD38, and CDS/DR cell percentages, persistently positive HIV-1 cultures, and high HIV-1 titer (P < .001). Women with at least 1 negative culture and high CD4 cell percentage or low CD8 cell percentage were at very low risk (0-4%) of transmitting HIV-1, while those with always positive cultures transmitted at a high rate (18%-27%), regardless of immune status.