What is optimal for prenatal screening for HIV infection?
Sharon Walmsley Dr. Walmsley is Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto, and Assistant Director, Immunodeficiency Clinic, Toronto Hospital, Toronto, Ont. Correspondence to: Dr. Sharon Walmsley, University Health Network, Toronto General Site, Rm. EG219, 200 Elizabeth St., Toronto ON M5G 2C4; fax 416 595-5826; sharon.walmsley{at}uhn.on.ca’ + u + ‘@’ + d + ”//–> The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) coupled as appropriate with elective cesarean section and the use of formula feeding have decreased the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV from about 25% to less than 2%.1,2,3 Yet despite this remarkable progress, new infant infections continue to occur, primarily among women who do not obtain prenatal care or who were not offered HIV testing during pregnancy. As of Dec. 31, 2001, 165 cases of AIDS in children attributable to prenatal transmission had been reported to the Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Health Canada.4 The Cana
