title: Advances in therapy for the prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child.
abstract: Actually, ~17.8 million women and 1.8 million children (<15 years) are currently infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Particularly, the majority of pediatric infections (>90%) resulted from 'HIV mother-to-child transmission' (MTCT), both in pregnancy, labour, delivery and later by breastfeeding. Due to its high pediatric incidence, MTCT represents a public health concern. Areas covered: In this review, we focus on available treatments and antiretroviral drugs recommended by the World Health Organization, and the main clinical investigations in antiretroviral pharmacotherapy to prevent the MTCT. Expert opinion: The MTCT has been improved dramatically in the last few years mainly due to prophylactic perinatal antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women living with HIV. However, there is still a milestone to reach since HIV MTCT remains as a public health challenge associated with MTCT though breastfeeding (post-natal transmission). In this context, different strategies could be employed as an attempt to reduce pediatric HIV infections. One of them involves the improvement of patient adherence to the HIV therapy. One possible solution is the development of novel long-acting formulations for prophylaxis of mothers and children, and a second possible solution is increase the inclusion of mothers and infants in care programs to more effectively prevent the vertical transmission.
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Tecnología Farmacéutica I ., Universidad de Buenos Aires , Buenos Aires , Argentina.|b Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcela A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moretton
authors.affiliation: c Departamento de Farmacología , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Facundo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertera
authors.affiliation: d Departamento de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires , Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacia Clínica , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lagomarsino
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Tecnología Farmacéutica I ., Universidad de Buenos Aires , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Tecnología Farmacéutica I ., Universidad de Buenos Aires , Buenos Aires , Argentina.|b Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Diego A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chiappetta
authors.affiliation: c Departamento de Farmacología , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Höcht
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
keywords: HIV mother-to-child transmission; antiretroviral pharmacotherapy; breastfeeding; pregnancy; prevention