Variation in breastmilk HIV-1 viral load in left and right breasts during the first 3 months of lactation.
Willumsen, JF;
Newell, ML;
Filteau, SM;
Coutsoudis, A;
Dwarika, S;
York, D;
Tomkins, AM;
Coovadia, HM;
(2001)
Variation in breastmilk HIV-1 viral load in left and right breasts during the first 3 months of lactation.
AIDS (London, England), 15 (14).
pp. 1896-1898.
ISSN 0269-9370
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00002030-200109280-00026
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The mechanism and risk factors associated with mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 through breastfeeding remain unclear; breastmilk viral load may be an important determinant of transmission. Analysis of breastmilk cell-free viral load in samples taken from each breast at 1, 6 and 14 weeks postpartum showed that HIV-1 is shed intermittently and load may differ considerably between breasts of an individual woman at any given time. Breastmilk HIV-1 load was undetectable in approximately one-third of samples.