Provirus load in breast milk and risk of mother-to-child transmission of human T lymphotropic virus type I.
In a prospective study of 101 mother-child pairs in Jamaica, we examined the association of provirus load in breast milk and the risk of mother-to-child transmission of human T lymphotropic virus type I. The provirus load in breast milk was a strong predictor of risk of transmission to children (relative risk, 2.34/quartile), after adjustment for other known risk factors. The risk of transmission increased from 4.7/1000 person-months when the provirus load in breast milk was <0.18% to 28.7/1000 person-months when it was >1.5%. Provirus detection in maternal breast milk predicted transmission months before infection in children was detected by serologic testing.
Li
Hong-Chuan
HC
Viral Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA.
Biggar
Robert J
RJ
Miley
Wendell J
WJ
Maloney
Elizabeth M
EM
Cranston
Beverley
B
Hanchard
Barrie
B
Hisada
Michie
M
D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011533:Proviruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012306:Risk; D019562:Viral Load