Breast Milk Can Kill the HIV Virus

Researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine revealed that breast-feeding in infants can prevent HIV transmission. These findings obtained from trials in mice.

Breast milk has a strong effect of killing the HIV virus and at the same time preventing oral transmission of HIV and mother to baby. "Our research shows that breastfeeding has an extraordinary ability in terms of destruction and prevent transmission of HIV virus," said J. Victor Garcia, one of the researchers.

The Garcia team implanted mice model of spinal cord, liver, and human thymus tissue. These mice did not have its own immune system. Then the mice were implanted human immune system to build a functioning normally and may be exposed to HIV as a normal human being.

The researchers then gave the milk from HIV-negative mothers to mice, and the results were not infectious virus into the rat. "This is because breast milk may reject entirely the transmission of two forms of HIV are found in breast milk of HIV positive mothers, the virus particles and cells infected with the virus," said Garcia.

According to World Health Organization data, around 15 percent of children breastfed by HIV-positive mothers contract the virus. The fact that the number is so low bodes well for the theory that breast milk is not the conduit for transmission. But until more research is conducted, that number should also be considered too high for mothers to take the risk.

Because of the multifarious health benefits of breast milk, the World Health Organization still recommends that all mothers breastfeed their children for at least 12 months — but that advice comes with a caveat for HIV-positive mothers. HIV-positive mothers and their infants must be put on a course of antiretroviral medications first.

Researchers will also need to ask: Even if breast milk is shown to prevent HIV transmission, how then do those 15 percent of children contract it? It's possible, of course, that suckling babies can still contract the virus from exposure to the mother's blood via cuts on the nipple, or from excessive sucking. But it's impossible to know for certain until further research is conducted.

These findings refute the hypothesis which states that HIV is found in body cells will be more difficult to kill by immune cells rather than in the HIV viral particles. With these results, the researchers believe that breastfeeding is not only the best nutrition for babies but also prevention of HIV transmission is highly prospective. *** [SCIENCEDAILY | SRI | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 21062012]

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