This article comments on the methods of reducing mother-to-child transmission of the HIV disease in the countries of Africa. Well-known interventions such as Cesarean sections, alternative feeding options, and antiretroviral drugs (zidovudine, lamivudine and nevirapine) have brought vertical transmission of HIV under a reasonable level of control where financial resources, technical infrastruct...

Greiner (Reference) raises several points regarding the generalisability of the findings of our study( ). In reply, it is important to note 1 that the total number of events, HIV transmissions or deaths, among the HIV-exposed infants were low and this precluded in-depth analyses of some of the questions that Greiner raises. This limitation was acknowledged in both this and earlier reports of th...

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the feasibility, from the public health standpoint, of preventing mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in Africa. METHODS Voluntary counselling and HIV serotesting were routinely provided in four health centres in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, for six months in 1998-99. Peripartum treatment with zidovudine and alternatives to breastfee...

Almost 10 years ago, the United Nations adopted a comprehensive, four-pronged approach for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Despite all four prongs being central to the elimination of pediatric HIV, and the health of the mother being critical to reaching this goal, PMTCT programs have historically focused more attention on preventing HIV transmission from mother to...