Background: The use of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has greatly improved the health and lifespan of people living with HIV, however, hepatic dysfunction has been associated with HIV. This study investigated the liver function biomarkers of women living with HIV and who are on ART. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on HIV-positive pregnant women and HIV-positive non-pregnant women in Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of 330 women between 15-60 years participated in this study. HIV-negative pregnant and non-pregnant women served as a control to the test subjects. Sociodemographic data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. Blood samples were collected for biochemical assay of the liver function biomarkers. The subjects were on Tenofovir-Lamivudine-Efavirenz (TLE) antiretroviral therapy. Data were analyzed statistically on IBM SPSS Version 25 using student’s t - test, ANOVA and compared using the Post hoc test. Results: The results obtained showed a significant increase at p ≤ 0.05 in the ALP, ALT and AST levels of both HIV-positive pregnant and non-pregnant women when compared to the control group. The serum TP level of HIV-positive pregnant women decreased in comparison to the control group. However, the decrease was not statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05. A statistically significant increase in the total protein level was observed in the HIV-positive non-pregnant women when compared to the control group. The albumin level in HIV-positive pregnant women had a statistically insignificant increase in comparison to the control group. HIV-positive non-pregnant women had a decreased level of Albumin at p ≤ 0.05 in comparison to the control group. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that the HIV-positive pregnant and non-pregnant women on ART are prone to adverse alterations in their liver function biomarkers in comparison to the control groups, hence they are vulnerable to liver dysfunction. Thus proper care and regular investigations should be carried out on HIV-positive women on ART.

Nigeria ranks third among countries with the highest burden of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) infection in the world. The 2019 Nigeria National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey showed that 1.9 million people were living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria as of 2018 [1].

The risk of mother-to-infant transmission of HIV 1 during breastfeeding ranges from 10% to 15% in the absence of maternal Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and infant Antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis. WHO guidelines 2016 recommend women living with HIV and fully supported for ART adherence should breastfeed for at least 12 months and up to 24 months or longer. Anyway, in high-income settings, women living with HIV are suggested to avoid breastfeeding, regardless of maternal viral load or antiretroviral therapy status. The advantages of breastfeeding in low and middle-income settings are well recognized. This brief narrative review aims to summarize existing evidence on mechanisms and risk factors for HIV transmission during breastfeeding and the possible prevention strategies in the context of ART adherence.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a pathology associated with the presence of the JC virus, although it occurs in other conditions, nowadays most cases occur in patients with AIDS, in severe stages of immunosuppression. This condition, and hence its name, has always been associated with the presence of intracerebral lesions, where it can have a wide distribution. However, it is very rare, if ever, to report lesions of this disease in the spinal cord. We present a case of a 40-year-old patient, an HIV carrier in the AIDS stage, who, in addition to presenting brain lesions, had multiple lesions at the cervical spinal cord level. We believe that these lesions may be more common than believed and should be intentionally sought if possible.

The study aims to determine the secular trends in HIV trials among the developed nations as well as regions with a high burden of HIV infection in the last two decades.