Safety of single-dose nevirapine for prevention of vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus infection

Introduction : Nevirapine administered as a single dose each to the mother and child within 72 h after birth is used to prevent vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) under the prevention of parent to child transmission of HIV program (PPTCT). The efficacy of nevirapine in this regard has been proved beyond doubt, but there are unresolved questions about its safety. Hence, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of this regime.
Materials and Methods : HIV-positive pregnant women who consented to participate in the study received a single oral dose of 200 mg nevirapine at the onset of labor followed by administration of 2 mg/kg of nevirapine syrup to the newborn within 72 h of birth. Both mother and child were followed up for 1 week postpartum to note the occurrence of any adverse reactions.
Results : The mother and child followed up for 1 week postpartum did not show any serious adverse reactions in the present study. Mothers reported adverse reactions like nausea, vomiting, and headache which were self-limiting and did not require any intervention.
Conclusion : The present study substantiates the safety of nevirapine.

Keywords
Nevirapine, prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, vertical transmission