A Retrospective Analysis Among Male and Female Infants EID Results in Cross River State, Nigeria

Background: Early definitive diagnosis of HIV infection in infants is critical to ensuring that HIV-infected infants receive appropriate and timely care and treatment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible determinant of EID test results among male and female infants in south-south region of Nigeria.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in July, 2011 among male and female infants receiving PMTCT intervention for EID at 7 Primary Health Care Facilities in 4 different LGA's of Cross-river state namely: Akamkpa, Calabar South, Odukpani and Biase respectively. Relevant data of the HIV infection status to male and female infants, whose samples were collected and diagnosed using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay, was obtained from the National PMTCT-EID register. The data was analyzed using Cross-tabulation.

Results: About 42.9% (male infants) and 57.1% (female infants) blood samples were collected using the Dried Blood Spot (DBS) technology for diagnosis. 19.0% of the EID samples diagnosed tested HIV positive and 81.0% tested HIV negative by PCR. 7.1% and 9.5% of male and female infants respectively tested HIV positive by PCR. 35.7% and 47.6% of male and female infants respectively tested HIV negative by PCR. There was a significant association between infant’s ages at 9 months, 10 months and 11 months with the EID test results (Standardized residual of 3.7, 1.9, and 2.6 respectively). The test of model of gender as predictor was statistically significant for female infants (Standardized residual of 1.6) and a Pearson chi-square which appeared statistically significant (P=0.006).

Conclusion: The feasibility of using dried blood spots for a broad-scale surveillance of HIV infection in infants has been demonstrated. From our study; there is a significant association between EID test results with specific ages of male and female infants with gender as a perfect predictor.