IAS news: Antiretrovirals reduce HIV transmission during breastfeeding
Antiretroviral therapy appears to dramatically reduce the chances of breastfeeding women with HIV transmitting the virus to their infants, according to two studies presented on Tuesday at the 4th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, writes Theo Smart from Sydney.
In the MITRA Plus trial from Tanzania, ART and breastfeeding was associated with a cumulative transmission at six months of only 5.0% (less than 1% had been infected during the period of breasfeeding). And in the AMATA study in Rwanda, only one out of 174 (0.6%) breastfeeding women on ART transmitted HIV to her infant — and since she had detectable viral load at the time, investigators believe that she may have discontinued her medication.
Full the full text of this article, see here http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/4920CF7D-9E95-4C08-85A1-65F001CB6E60.asp
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