Botswana Diarrheal Diseases Study
Botswana Diarrheal Diseases Study
The goals of this study are to:

 1. determine the diarrheal rates, morbidity, mortality, and pathogens present among
 breast-fed infants born to HIV-infected mothers.

 -  analysis by HIV status of infants, method of feeding, HIV viral loads / CD4 counts
 of infected mothers.

 -  comparison to rates among infants born to HIV uninfected mothers.

 2. link analysis of the functional quality of immunoglobulins in the breast milk of
 HIV-infected and uninfected mothers.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Subject is able to provide independent informed consent.

 -  Subject is able to complete a questionnaire as part of her enrollment visit and agrees
 to complete follow-up questionnaires monthly.

 -  Subject presents symptoms of acute diarrhea: at least 3 loose stools during 24 hours
 as reported by mother; persistent diarrhea: an episode of diarrhea lasting 14 days;
 recurrent diarrhea: a new episode of diarrhea after an interval of at least two
 diarrhea-free days.

 For HIV-infected subjects:

 -  Mother: HIV antibody is detected by dual HIV-1 ELISA and confirmed by western blot.
 Infant: HIV antigen is detected by PCR on 2 samples during the follow-up period, or on
 1 sample followed by the death of the infant.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Subject cannot provide legal independent informed consent.