Assessment of the association between HIV-infected mothers and the mortality of children less than two years in Khayelitsha health district of the Western Cape : a case-control study

Abstract

Amongst child deaths, most occur in the first year of life and, according to the World Health Organisation, the mortality of children in the second year of life is due mostly to environmental factors and infections. Since 196O the infant mortality rate and the under- five-year mortality rate declined globally. However, the South African National antenatal HIV zero-prevalence increased from less than 1% in 1990 to 30% in 2005- This increase in HIV prevalence coincided with an increase in child deaths- This has been attributed to mother to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS- There has been insufficient proven association or causation of HIV-positive mothers with child deaths- If there is an association between the HIV-positive stars and deaths of children under-two years, the under-two-year deaths will be further exacerbated by HIV/AIDS- The significance is that most infant and child deaths are preventable and it is important to identify disease factors associated with mortality in order to take provocateur measures.