Antiretroviral drugs can lower HIV transmission to nursing babies

The Lancet recently published new results from the Breastfeeding, Antiretrovirals, and Nutrition (BAN) trial conducted between 2004 and 2010 in Malawi. The current results focus on the effects of weaning and stopping maternal or infant daily doses of antiretroviral drugs (ART) while HIV-positive mothers are nursing their infants. While there is a risk of HIV transmission from mother to child, breast feeding is a key source of nutrition in communities with limited resources and previous research has shown that ART can significantly cut the chances of transmission. The researchers found that the overall risk of HIV transmission at 48 weeks was 7 percent in the control group of infants (breastfeeding only), and 4 percent in both the maternal and infant ART groups. Also, one-third of the infants became HIV infected after mothers had reported they had stopped nursing. The researchers report that ART is effective at reducing HIV-transmission and that babies should not be weaned early.