Background Commencement of lifelong highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) immediately after HIV diagnosis (option B+), for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has greatly improved maternal-infant health in sub Saharan Africa (SSA). However, this development has also dramatically increased the number of maternally HAART/HIV-exposed-uninfected (HEU) infants in areas of high HIV prevalence. Compared to their HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) counterparts, HEU infants show increased mortality, higher rates of adverse birth outcomes, infectious and non-communicable diseases and impaired growth, immune responses and neurodevelopment. Adverse clinical outcomes and their respective risk factors alongside associated biomarkers of HEU infants in SSA have been insufficiently characterized. Early exposure to HAART and HIV might be risk factors for the adverse outcomes in HEU infants but other potential risk factors and biomarkers remain understudied. Methods The University of Zimbabwe-College of Health Science birth cohort is a prospective cohort study of perinatal HIV and in utero HAART exposure throughout the breastfeeding period in the era of option B+. 600 HIV infected and 600 HIV uninfected pregnant women ≥20 weeks of gestation are being enrolled from four primary health centres in poor high-density residential areas of Harare. Clinical, socio-demographic/economic, nutritional and environmental data and bio-samples including maternal urine, stool, plasma, milk, cord blood, amniotic fluid as well as infant serum, dried blood spots and stool are being collected at enrolment, delivery and longitudinal follow-ups as mother-infant pairs from delivery, week(s) 1, 6, 10, 14, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 after birth. Infants are being assessed for congenital transmission of HIV, hepatitis B/C viruses, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and growth, neurodevelopment, and immune-dysregulation. Sub-studies are addressing maternal-infant immunometabolomics, latent tuberculosis infection, dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and the effect of maternal stress thereof. The primary end point of this study is infant mortality until two years of age in HEU versus HUU infants. Secondary outcomes include HEU morbidity. Conclusion Our study will provide a comprehensive assessment of risk factors and associated biomarkers for adverse clinical outcomes for HEU infants and ultimately help developing strategies to mitigate effects of HIV, comorbidities and early life HAART exposure on pregnancy outcome and infant health. Trial registration number, date Key words: HIV, Option B+ highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), in utero exposure, breastfeeding, antenatal co-morbidities, immune dysfunction, microbiota, genomics, pregnancy outcomes, neurodevelopment infant health.
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Number of infants deaths
Timeframe: Delivery, 28 day, one and two years
Number of maternal death
Timeframe: two years