Human immunodeficiency virus and weight outcomes of infants in Kisumu, Kenya

Abstract

Almost 600,000 infants acquire human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection from their mothers each year, with the majority of these infants living in developing countries. Knowledge regarding the impact of maternal and infant (HIV) infections upon birthweight is controversial. Little is known regarding the presence of HIV infection upon concurrent growth in developing countries. Data from a cohort of HIV-positive and HIV-negative women and their infants in Kisumu, Kenya was analyzed to assess maternal and infant HIV status with birthweight, growth and mortality of the infants. Three hundred and seventy-nine infants were assessed for health at four week intervals for the first year of life. The results of the analyses suggest that although differences in birthweight by (HIV) status alone are not present, HIV-infected infants subsequently gain less weight in the first year of life. Lower weight gain and positive HIV-status were independent predictors of mortality.