Animal models of HIV transmission through breastfeeding and pediatric HIV infection

Abstract

In 2009, an estimated 370,000 children contracted HIV from their mothers during the perinatal and breastfeeding period [1]. Major progress has been made in reducing intrapartum transmission of HIV-1 using prepartum antiretroviral regimens [2-4]. However, in low-resource countries where it has been difficult to make replacement feeding AFASS (affordable, feasible, acceptable, sustainable, and safe), breastfeeding continues to be a considerable risk factor for postnatal mother-to-child transmission of HIV [5-7]. Breastfeeding is a big dilemma for many HIV-infected women in such areas: even though it can transmit HIV, breast milk remains the best resource to provide the nursing infant with much-needed nutrition and protection against other serious infectious diseases [8, 9]. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.