Health and development of children born exposed to HIV but uninfected
CHERISH (Children HIV Exposed Uninfected Research to Inform Survival and Health)
This project follows children born in the Western Cape to compare survival, hospital visits, growth, and development between those exposed to HIV before birth who are uninfected and children not exposed to HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stellenbosch University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA) |
| Project ID | NIH-11377922 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We use linked provincial health records to create a large birth cohort from 2018–2024, connecting mothers and infants by unique IDs so routine clinic, hospital, and birth data can be followed over time. The team combines detailed measurements at two sentinel sites with a broader, lighter-touch provincial cohort to capture both in-depth and population-level outcomes. Researchers will look at survival, hospitalizations, physical growth, and neurodevelopment in children born to mothers with HIV who did not acquire the virus, compared with children with no HIV exposure. Participation mainly involves allowing use of existing health records and, for some sites, possible follow-up visits or developmental checks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children born in the Western Cape Province between 2018 and 2024 (and their families), especially those whose mothers had HIV during pregnancy and families willing to allow health record linkage and follow-up.
Not a fit: Children who live outside the Western Cape, were born well before 2018, or who are themselves living with HIV are unlikely to be included or to benefit directly from this project's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help health systems spot and address health or developmental needs among children exposed to HIV in utero and guide care policies for these children.
How similar studies have performed: Linked electronic health–record cohorts and sentinel-site follow-up have been used successfully before, but a province-wide comparison of HIV-exposed uninfected versus unexposed children in the era of universal maternal ART is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA
- Stellenbosch University — Stellenbosch, South Africa (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tomlinson, Mark — Stellenbosch University
- Study coordinator: Tomlinson, Mark
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.