title: Viability of infectious viral particles of HIV and BMCs in breast milk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infectious factors in breast milk such as viral particles and living infected cells are of prime importance in the transmission of HIV by breastfeeding.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To perform effective approaches for reducing HIV transmission via breastfeeding, we investigated the biological importance of infectious viral particles and infected BMCs in breast milk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Alteration of viral infectivity was monitored using a modified experimental infection assay that exploited the cytotoxicity of breast milk, and BMC viability was evaluated by flow-cytometric analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infectious viral particles were found to decrease time-dependently after contact with breast milk, whereas BMCs showed prolonged survival in breast milk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The biological importance of infected BMCs in breast milk for the transmission of HIV via breastfeeding was considered.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal Medicine, Department of Perinatology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Okura 2-10-1, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan. yamaguchi-k@ncchd.go.jp
authors.forename: Koushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natori
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000166:cytology* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000821:virology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D014771:Virion / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*