Caries was more prevalent in HI children. These findings support the need to target HI children for oral health prevention and treatment services particularly in Nigeria and other developing countries.

even with antiretroviral therapy, children born to HiV-infected (Hi) mothers are at a higher risk of early-life infections and morbidities including dental disease. the increased risk of dental caries in Hi children suggest immune-mediated changes in oral bacterial communities, however, the impact of perinatal HiV exposure on the oral microbiota remains unclear. We hypothesized that the oral microbiota of HI and perinatally HIV-exposed-but-uninfected (HEU) children will significantly differ from HIV-unexposed-and-uninfected (HUU) children. Saliva samples from 286 child-participants in Nigeria, aged ≤ 6 years, were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Perinatal HIV infection was significantly associated with community composition (HI vs. HUU-p = 0.04; HEU vs. HUU-p = 0.11) however, immune status had stronger impacts on bacterial profiles (p < 0.001). We observed agestratified associations of perinatal HIV exposure on community composition, with HEU children differing from HUU children in early life but HEU children becoming more similar to HUU children with age. Our findings suggest that, regardless of age, HIV infection or exposure, low CD4 levels persistently alter the oral microbiota during this critical developmental period. Data also indicates that, while HIV infection clearly shapes the developing infant oral microbiome, the effect of perinatal exposure (without infection) appears transient. With the rapid scale up of life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART) 1 worldwide, there has been a significant reduction in HIV-related deaths in infants and children 2,3. Although gaps still remain with respect to infant diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, particularly in resource-limited settings such as sub-Saharan Africa 4 , ART has led to a rising population of infants and children who are either perinatally exposed but uninfected (due to improved prevention of mother to child transmission services) or perinatally infected (due to prolonged survival) with HIV. Children born to HIV-infected mothers-perinatally exposed to HIV-particularly those who eventually acquire the infection, are at risk of acquiring diseases associated with a compromised host immune system, including opportunistic infections 5,6. In children and adults, HIV infection (and immunosuppression in general) has been associated with increased inflammatory markers 7,8 and several diseases of the oral cavity, including dental caries 9-15. Most of these infections are poly-microbial in nature and could be a consequence of immune impairment induced by HIV. The increased risk of developing caries associated with HIV could be attributed to increased colonization of cariogenic bacteria due to immunosuppression, and/or a reduction in salivary flow rate. It has also been suggested that the reduction of CD4 + T lymphocytes might lead to the conversion of Candida to a pathogenic state, thereby disrupting the oral microbiota 16,17. With ART, there have been significant and consistent reductions in the prevalence and incidence of oral manifestations of HIV, suc...

Background Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy and breastfeeding for mothers with HIV has resulted in fewer children acquiring HIV peri- and postnatally, resulting in an increase in the number of children who are exposed to the virus but are not infected (HEU). HEU infants have an increased likelihood of childhood infections and adverse growth outcomes, as well as increased mortality compared to their HIV-unexposed (HUU) peers. We explored potential differences in the gut microbiota in a cohort of 272 Nigerian infants born to HIV-positive and negative mothers in this study during the first 18 months of life. Results The taxonomic composition of the maternal vaginal and gut microbiota showed no significant differences based on HIV status, and the composition of the infant gut microbiota at birth was similar between HUU and HEU. Longitudinal taxonomic composition of the infant gut microbiota and weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) differed depending on access to breast milk. HEU infants displayed overall lower WAZ than HUU infants at all time points. We observed a significantly lower relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in HEU infants at 6 months postpartum. Breast milk composition also differed by time point and HIV infection status. The antiretroviral therapy drugs, lamivudine and nevirapine, as well as kynurenine, were significantly more abundant in the breast milk of mothers with HIV. Levels of tiglyl carnitine (C5) were significantly lower in the breast milk of mothers without HIV. ART drugs in the breast milk of mothers with HIV were associated with a lower relative abundance of Bifidobacterium longum. Conclusions Maternal HIV infection was associated with adverse growth outcomes of HEU infants in this study, and these differences persist from birth through at least 18 months, which is a critical window for the development of the immune and central nervous systems. We observed that the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. was significantly lower in the gut microbiota of all HEU infants over the first 6 months postpartum, even if HEU infants were receiving breast milk. Breastfeeding was of benefit in our HEU infant cohort in the first weeks postpartum; however, ART drug metabolites in breast milk were associated with a lower abundance of Bifidobacterium.

Background: Jaundice is the yellowish discoloration of the skin, sclera and mucous membranes resulting from deposition of bilirubin. Neonatal jaundice is a leading cause of neonatal admissions in the first week of life and risk factors such as sepsis, prematurity, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme deficiencies, use of native herbs and contact with naphthalene balls contaminated clothes have been identified for neonatal jaundice.

Background This study seeks to understand better the mechanisms underlying the increased risk of caries in HIV-infected school-aged Nigerian children by examining the relationship between the plaque microbiome and perinatal HIV infection and exposure. We also seek to investigate how perinatal HIV infection and exposure impact tooth-specific microbiomes' role on caries disease progression. Methods The participants in this study were children aged 4 to 11 years recruited from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Nigeria, between May to November 2019. Overall, 568 children were enrolled in three groups: 189 HIV-infected (HI), 189 HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) and 190 HIV-unexposed and uninfected (HUU) as controls at visit 1 with a 2.99% and 4.90% attrition rate at visit 2 and visit 3 respectively. Data were obtained with standardized questionnaires. Blood samples were collected for HIV, HBV and HCV screening; CD4, CD8 and full blood count analysis; and plasma samples stored for future investigations; oral samples including saliva, buccal swabs, oropharyngeal swab, tongue swab, dental plaque were collected aseptically from participants at different study visits. Conclusions Results from the study will provide critical information on how HIV exposure, infection, and treatment, influence the oral microbiome and caries susceptibility in children. By determining the effect on community taxonomic structure and gene expression of dental microbiomes, we will elucidate mechanisms that potentially create a predisposition for developing dental caries. As future plans, the relationship between respiratory tract infections, immune and inflammatory markers with dental caries in perinatal HIV infection and exposure will be investigated.

Background: Prompt administration of antibiotics to children with pneumonia significantly reduces the probability of death. However this requires early identification of such children in the community. In a country such as Nigeria with one of the highest pneumoniarelated deaths, what do mothers know about pneumonia, and what should be the content of public campaign messages? Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to mothers attending paediatric clinics of Lagos University Teaching Hospital seeking their knowledge about the definition, causes, risk factors and symptoms of childhood pneumonia. Results: One hundred and seven (107) consecutive mothers participated in the study. The majority (97; 90.6%) had at least secondary education, were married (96; 89.7%) and professed to be either Christians or Muslims (105; 98.1%).Prior to the study, 16 (15%) had not heard about pneumonia. About half of the participants correctly identified fast/difficult breathing as suggestive of pneumonia. Threequarters reported exposure to cold as the cause of childhood pneumonia. Minimizing exposure to cold and wearing warm clothes were the two commonest reported ways of preventing pneumonia (75.8% and 49.5% of the mothers respectively); in contrast hand washing, exclusive breastfeeding and limiting exposure to sick persons with cough and catarrh were the least mentioned. The proportion of mothers who correctly identified fast/difficult breathing as suggestive of pneumonia was similar irrespective of educational status or source of pneumonia information. Conclusion: Mothers' knowledge of childhood pneumonia is low. Public campaigns on pneumonia should focus on raising awareness about germs as cause of pneumonia, immunization, hand washing and exclusive breastfeeding as potent preventive strategies and fast/difficult breathing as a feature of pneumonia.

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