Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the health-related Millennium Development Goals: time for a public health approach

Integrating antiretroviral therapy into antenatal care and maternal and child health settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Malawi provides lifelong ART to all pregnant women with HIV infection, regardless of their CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts. 62 Although the results of this approach are still under study, the available data appear promising. According to data from Malawi collected 2 months after birth, of 628 infants who were tested for HIV infection with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 11 (1.75%) had a positive result.…”

Early infant diagnosis and outcomes in HIV-exposed infants at a central and a district hospital, Northern Malawi

“…In July 2011, the country developed and adopted Option B+ as the national approach, and formally incorporated this policy into the revised national HIV/AIDS (acquired immune-deficiency syndrome) guidelines in 2014. 10,11 The World Health Organization (WHO) adopted Option B+ as its recommended PMTCT strategy in 2016. 12 Within Option B+, HIV-exposed infants are enrolled into an ongoing EID programme that emphasises DNA PCR testing at 6 weeks, ART for infants with confirmed HIV infection and follow-up of all children up to 24 months or 6 weeks after cessation of breastfeeding.…”

HIV testing and retention in care of infants born to HIV- infected women enrolled in ‘Option B+’, Thyolo, Malawi

“…[2][3][4][5] With Option B+, all pregnant and breastfeeding women are offered HIV testing and counselling, and those who are HIV-infected are offered life-long antiretroviral treatment (ART) with tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz. 2,6 HIV-exposed infants receive nevirapine from birth until 6 weeks of age.…”

“…2,6 National guidelines recommend that all HIV-exposed infants undergo HIV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing 6-8 weeks after birth and rapid HIV testing (RHT) at 12-24 months of age, and that those with HIV infection be started on ART immediately. 4,6 Option B+ was endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2012 and included in the 2013 WHO ART guidelines. 3 By June 2013, 588 health facilities were offering Option B+ in Malawi.…”