Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets
08:12

Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets

Published on: September 6, 2019

Breast-feeding and Transmission of HIV-1

Grace John-Stewart1, Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha, Rene Ekpini

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Washington, USA.

Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999)
|January 15, 2004
PubMed

Breast-feeding substantially increases the risk of HIV-1 transmission from mother to child, and although peripartum antiretroviral therapy prophylaxis significantly decreases the risk of mother-to-child transmission around the time of delivery, this approach does not affect breast-feeding transmission. Increased maternal RNA viral load in plasma and breast milk is strongly associated with increased risk of transmission through breast-feeding, as is breast health, and it has been suggested that exclusive breast-feeding could be associated with lower rates of breast-feeding transmission than mixed feeding of both breast- and other milk or feeds. Transmission through breast-feeding can take place at any point during lactation, and the cumulative probability of acquisition of infection increases with duration of breast-feeding. HIV-1 has been detected in breast milk in cell-free and cellular compartments; infant gut mucosal surfaces are the most likely site at which transmission occurs. Innate and acquired immune factors may act most effectively in combination to prevent primary HIV-1 infection by breast milk.

More Related Videos

Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)13:00

Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Published on: July 31, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Transmission of Pathogens01:24

Transmission of Pathogens

Pathogens spread from their reservoirs to susceptible hosts through three main routes: contact transmission, vehicle transmission, and vector transmission. Each route involves distinct mechanisms of transfer.Contact TransmissionThis category includes direct contact, indirect contact, and droplet transmission:Direct contact involves immediate physical interaction between individuals—such as a handshake—which can spread pathogens like Streptococcus pyogenes, the bacterium responsible for...
Sexually Transmitted Infections01:26

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
Hepatitis01:25

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver most commonly caused by hepatotropic viruses (A–E), though non-infectious causes such as alcohol and drugs also exist.Hepatitis AHepatitis A virus (HAV) is a non-enveloped RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family. It is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route, typically through ingestion of contaminated food or water. After ingestion, HAV enters the bloodstream through the oropharynx or intestinal epithelium and reaches the liver. The...
Transcytosis of IgG01:15

Transcytosis of IgG

Transcytosis is the process in which molecules are internalized by endocytosis, transported across the cell, and released through exocytosis from the opposite end of the cell. Molecules such as insulin, immunoglobulins, and certain nutrients are transferred through the recycling endosomes by recycling and transcytosis.
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...