Analysis of Viral Load in Colostrum of Puerperal Women Living With Hiv Using Antiretroviral Therapy (Art)

Abstract

HIV transmission occurs during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, and can be mitigated through measures such as prenatal HIV screening and antiretroviral therapy (ART). Health institutions are gradually releasing it if a woman has an undetectable viral load in her blood. This study aims to determine the viral load of HIV in colostrum from postpartum women using qRT-PCR, following participant selection based on informed consent criteria. The research includes monitoring participants’ prenatal routine, collecting, storing, and processing colostrum, as well as automated RNA extraction and viral RNA quantification via qRT-PCR. Thirteen participants were recruited, 13 samples of colostrum were subsequently collected, meeting eligibility criteria and signing informed consent. These samples were processed and analyzed by qRT-PCR. Six of nine samples analyzed were undetectable, and three were below the detection limit. We observed that patients with undetectable colostrum had been on ART before conception, while those with colostrum samples detectable had a detectable serum viral load at some point during pregnancy. The immunological, biochemical, and socioeconomic impact of non-breastfeeding on maternal-child health is significant, and analyzing the transmissibility potential of colostrum raises questions about possible breastfeeding with reduced risks of HIV transmission. We think that achieving undetectable or below detection limit levels in colostrum of women on ART is feasible, but further research is needed on the condition of breast milk from women living with HIV under current antiretroviral therapies used in Brazil.