DRIED BLOOD SPOT TEST FOR HIV EXPOSED INFANTS AND CHILDREN AND THEIR ANTI-RETRO VIRAL TREATMENT STATUS IN SELECTED HOSPITALS IN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Infants and children living with HIV receive antiretroviral treatment often late, areexposed to opportunistic infection and quickly develop AIDS. Few hospitals are providing ART serviceafter Dried Blood Spot (DBS)test.The objective of this study is to assess the status of infants and childrenlinked to ART.METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in hospitals. Data of 138 infants andchildren exposed to HIV were collected from registration books and data bases from 2009 to 2011. Datawere analyzed using SPSS version 16. Chi-squared test and p-value were computed. In-depth interviewswere conducted with key informants.RESULT: Ninety-eight (71%) infants and children exposed to HIV were diagnosed for HIV infection ofwhich 68(69.4%) initiated ART. Twenty four (35.3%) initiated ART one month after HIV screeningresults. Thirty-three (50.0%) and 23(35.3%) infants and children dropped from and adhered to ARTrespectively. Eleven (16.2%) of them who initiated ART died within the study period. HIV infectionstatus (p-value=0.003), dropping from ART (p-value=0.002) and death after ART initiation (p-value=0.010) showed significance with mothers’ PMTCT service status.CONCLUSION: Seven in ten HIV-exposed infants and children were diagnosed with HIV, and almostall of them initiated ART. The overall turnaround time was 10 days. Based up on mothers’ PMTCTservice status, there was a significant difference among HIV-exposed infants and children in acquiringHIV infection from mothers during pregnancy (p-value=0.003) and dropping from ART (p-value=0.010).There were challenges in sample collection and transportation. Early HIV screening during pregnancyand PMTCT service should be strengthened.KEYWORDS: Dried Blood Spot, HIV-exposed infants and children, ART treatment status