Background & objectives: HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) among antenatal clinic (ANC) attendees is used to monitor HIV trends in general population. Recently, information on HIV infection has also become available from prevention of parent-to-child transmission (PPTCT) programmes. Systematic appraisal of routinely collected programme data is needed for choosing a scientific, cost-effective, and ethical surveillance strategy. In this study HIV prevalence estimates obtained from PPTCT programme and HSS were compared to find out the utility of PPTCT programme data for HIV surveillance.
Methods: The data of HSS and PPTCT programme were obtained from National AIDS Control Organization, New Delhi. A list of PPTCT programme sites where ANC HSS was also conducted during 2005 to 2007 was prepared. HIV prevalence and 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) were estimated from antenatal attendees in PPTCT and HSS. Correlation coefficient of HIV prevalence in PPTCT and HSS was also examined according to the level of HIV test acceptance in PPTCT programme. Pregnant women presenting directly for labour in PPTCT centers were not included in the analyses.
Results: In 2007, HIV test acceptance ranged from 8 to 100 per cent (average 76%) in 372 sites where both PPTCT and HSS were carried out. HIV prevalence was similar in the PPTCT (0.68%, 95% CI 0.66%, 0.70%) as compared to the HSS (0.61%, 95% CI 0.58%, 0.66%). Overall the correlation of HIV prevalence between PPTCT and HSS was quite high at state level (r = 0.9) but low at district or site level (r = 0.6).
Interpretation & conclusions: HIV prevalence estimates among pregnant women in PPTCT program were similar to that of ANC HSS. Routinely collected PPTCT program data therefore has potential for providing reliable HIV time trends in various states of India.