HIV-1 Reservoirs in Breast Milk and Challenges to Elimination of Breast-Feeding Transmission of HIV-1

Abstract

The breast milk of HIV-infected mothers contains reservoirs of HIV, even when they are successfully treated with antiretroviral therapy; new approaches to prophylactic therapy are needed to prevent HIV transmission to their infants through breast-feeding.

Group Bstreptococciin milk and late neonatal infections: an analysis of cases in the literature

“…However, many pathogens can contaminate human milk, including viruses, bacteria and parasites. Some of them have been implicated in the neonatal infections related to contaminated milk,6 13–16 the most striking example nowadays being HIV 17. Breast milk is usually not sterilised but is given raw, frozen or pasteurised to keep the maximum benefits of breast feeding18 and thus may be a route for neonatal contamination by pathogenic microorganisms.…”

SIV Transmission in Natural Hosts

“…Human milk contains many factors that can block HIV infection in vitro or that have been associated epidemiologically with lower rates of vertical transmission (reviewed in [27]). The key missing piece of information is whether natural hosts possess additional and/or "super factor(s)" that may be responsible for protecting infants from the acquisition of SIV via breastfeeding.…”

Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1: Role of Receptor Usage and Target Cells

“…During breastfeeding the neonate first and then the child ingest colostrum and milk at increasing volumes (Van de Perre et al 2012). The breast milk of HIV-1-infected mothers contains large amounts of free virus and of HIV-infected lymphocytes and macrophages, which may initiate transmission during breastfeeding (Rousseau et al 2004).…”