Prevention of perinatal HIV transmission: a review of novel strategies.
Significant progress has been made in preventing transmission of HIV-1 from mother to infant. With combination antiretroviral therapies, transmission rates lower than 2% have been achieved in clinical studies. Abbreviated regimens covering labour and the first few days of neonatal life have shown considerable promise in the developing world. Several questions and challenges remain, however. These include choice of the optimal antiretroviral agent(s) and duration of the regimens, availability of antiretroviral agents in developing countries, long-term safety of antiretrovirals during pregnancy and early neonatal life and the problem of breastfeeding transmission in countries where alternatives to breastfeeding are not available. A wider array of strategies for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 during breastfeeding, including passive and active immunisation, may offer much needed answers to the problem of continued HIV transmission from mother to infant.
Kourtis
Athena P
AP
Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, USA. apk3@cdc.gov
Duerr
Ann
A
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014611:Vaccination
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents