Increased Risk of Group B Streptococcal Meningitis in Hiv-exposed Uninfected Infants in a High-Income Country

Purpose: to compare group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection incidence in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed (HU) infants in a Spanish cohort. Methods retrospective study in 5 hospitals in Madrid (Spain). Infants ≤ 90 days of life with a GBS infection were included from January 2008 to December 2017. Incidence of GBS infection in HEU and HU children was compared. Results HEU infants presented a 7-fold greater risk of GBS infection and a 29-fold greater risk of GBS meningitis comparing to HU, with statistical signification. Early-onset infection was 10-fold more frequent in HEU children, with statistical signification, and late-onset infection was almost 5-fold more frequent in the HUE infants’ group, without statistical significance. Conclusions HEU infants presented an increased risk of GBS infection and meningitis. One in each 500 HEU infants of our cohort had a central nervous system infection and 1 in each 200, a GBS infection. Although etiological causes are not well understood, this should be taken into account by physicians when attending this population.