title: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 mother-to-child transmission and prevention: successes and controversies.
abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimated that an additional 370 000 new human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections occurred in children in 2009, mainly through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). Intrapartum transmission contributes to approximately 20-25% of infections, in utero transmission to 5-10% and postnatal transmission to an additional 10-15% of cases. MTCT accounts for only a few hundred infected newborns in those countries in which services are established for voluntary counselling and testing of pregnant women, and a supply of antiretroviral drugs is available throughout pregnancy with recommendations for elective Caesarean section and avoidance of breastfeeding. The single-dose nevirapine regimen has provided the momentum to initiate MTCT programmes in many resource-limited countries; however, regimens using a combination of antiretroviral drugs are needed also to effectively reduce transmission via breastfeeding.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Viral Evolution and Transmission, DITID, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cavarelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarlatti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002585:Cesarean Section; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents