Immune mechanisms underlying the increased morbidity and mortality of HIV-Exposed Uninfected (HEU) children

Following the introduction of Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) strategies, the vast majority of infants born to HIV-infected mothers worldwide are not infected at birth. For reasons that remain unexplained, HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants are at increased risk of suffering from poor health particularly during the early years of life, including increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, growth retardation, and delayed neurological development. This population is often forgotten, despite accounting for a large proportion of all births in sub-Saharan Africa (up to 30% of newborn children in southern Africa). For example, there are currently no guidelines for medical care to these children, and follow up and clinical care varies from one country to another. Even at international HIV or pediatric meetings, the plight of the HEU infants is rarely mentioned, despite the fact that these infants represent the next wave of the HIV epidemic.

The objective of this Research Topic is to present as complete a picture as is currently possible of the particular phenotype (clinical and biological) of HEU infants in the hope that this composite will begin to outline the origin/s of their suffering, i.e., the underlying mechanism/s.