Variation in breastmilk HIV-1 viral load in left and right breasts during the first 3 months of lactation.
The mechanism and risk factors associated with mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 through breastfeeding remain unclear; breastmilk viral load may be an important determinant of transmission. Analysis of breastmilk cell-free viral load in samples taken from each breast at 1, 6 and 14 weeks postpartum showed that HIV-1 is shed intermittently and load may differ considerably between breasts of an individual woman at any given time. Breastmilk HIV-1 load was undetectable in approximately one-third of samples.
Willumsen
J F
JF
Centre for International Child Health, London, UK.
Newell
M L
ML
Filteau
S M
SM
Coutsoudis
A
A
Dwarika
S
S
York
D
D
Tomkins
A M
AM
Coovadia
H M
HM
D001940:Breast / Q000502:physiology; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007774:Lactation; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load