Abstract

Anna Coutsoudis and colleagues present a potentially important piece of the puzzle concerning the transmission of HIV-1 through breast-feeding in the first few months of life. Breast-feeding poses a substantial risk of acquiring HIV-1 infection for the baby of an HIV-1-infected mother. Samples from 549 infants were tested by HIV-DNA PCR on day 1 and at ages 1 month and 3 months. Results revealed that the percentages of infection were similar for the three groups between 1 month and 3 months, and that the real increase in rate of infection occurred after the first month of life. This suggests that there may be a protective early effect of exclusive breast-feeding and that hence a breast-feeding HIV-1-infected mother should avoid giving any other foods for at least the first 3 months of life. Results in this study highlight the need for re-evaluation of the role of breast-feeding in the transmission of HIV-1.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.