Time for Option B+? Prevalence and characteristics of HIV infection among attendees of 2 antenatal clinics in Buea, Cameroon

Abstract

As countries consider a wider use of triple antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy, which in recent World Health Organization guidelines is called Option B+, this study sought to explore the potential implications of adopting Option B+ by characterizing HIV infection in pregnant women attending 2 semiurban antenatal clinics in Cameroon. In a descriptive cross-sectional study, consenting women were screened for HIV; positive samples were confirmed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test, and CD4 levels and HIV viral loads were determined using flow cytometry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The seroprevalence of HIV in the 407 pregnant women screened was 8.4% (95% confidence interval: 5.9%-11.5%). The majority (82.4%) of HIV-positive women had CD4 counts >350 cells/mm(3). A quarter (25%) had undetectable viral levels (<80 copies/mL). Adopting Option B+ in this setting would result in a 5-fold increase in the number of HIV-infected pregnant women being placed on lifelong triple ART.

Keywords: CD4; Cameroon; HIV; pregnancy; viral load.