Cell-free human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in breast milk.
Breast-feeding may be an important route of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vertical transmission in settings where it is routinely practiced. To define the prevalence and quantity of HIV-1 in cell-free breast milk, samples from HIV-1-seropositive women were analyzed by quantitative competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (QC-RT-PCR). HIV-1 RNA was detected in 29 (39%) of 75 specimens tested. Of these 29 specimens, 16 (55%) had levels that were near the detection limit of the assay (240 copies/mL), while 6 (21%) had >900 copies/mL. The maximum concentration of HIV-1 RNA detected was 8100 copies/mL. The prevalence of cell-free HIV-1 was higher in mature milk (47%) than in colostrum (27%, P = 0.1). Because mature milk is consumed in large quantities, these data suggest that cell-free HIV-1 in breast milk may contribute to vertical transmission of HIV-1.
Lewis
P
P
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Nduati
R
R
Kreiss
J K
JK
John
G C
GC
Richardson
B A
BA
Mbori-Ngacha
D
D
Ndinya-Achola
J
J
Overbaugh
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D003126:Colostrum / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral