New therapy to save babies from HIV

By Elizabeth Mwai

HIV and Aids positive mothers may have a reason to smile.

They can now breastfeed their children — thanks to discovery of a three anti-retroviral drugs combination that could lower the risk of HIV transmission. Scientists have discovered that giving a combination of three ARVs to HIV positive women during pregnancy, delivery and breast feeding cuts the risk of HIV transmission in infants by 42 per cent.

The findings of the study, ‘Kesho Bora’ (Better Tomorrow) show that giving the ARV triple combination to HIV positive mothers with CD-4 count between 200 and 500 from the last trimester, through birth and six months of breastfeeding reduces the risk of mother-to-child-transmission and improves survival.

"There is no increase in risk to the health of mothers or their babies associated with the triple ARV regimen," said the report.

The report released yesterday in Cape Town, South Africa, is one among the many studies conducted to prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV during breastfeeding.

Advanced Stage

The study consisted of the anti-HIV drugs zidovudine, lamivudine and lopinavir (ritonavir), from the last trimester of pregnancy and continued for a maximum of six months of breastfeeding.

Women with CD-4 count below 200 are at an advanced stage of treatment and hence ARVS are for their own health and the risk of passing on the HIV virus is higher than those with between 200 and 500 or more.

The three-year study involved about 1,140 HIV positive women in Kenya, South Africa and Burkina Faso.

Speaking to The Standard, WHO prevention in the Health Sector Department of HIV and Aids, Geneva co-ordinator Ying-Ru Lo said they would review the guidelines in use of ARVs to reduce HIV transmission during pregnancy based on the findings.

Dr Lo said the evidence offers new hope for mothers with HIV infection who cannot safely feed their babies with infant formula or other replacement foods.