Prospective Comparison of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Abstract

The rate of perinatal transmission of HIV-2 (1.2%) was much lower than the rate of perinatal transmission of HIV-1 (24.7%), and this was associated with more favorable survival for infants of HIV-2-infected mothers. Dually reactive women could transmit both viruses, although transmission usually involved HIV-1 only. Public health guidelines should incorporate advice that perinatal transmission of HIV-2 is rare.