Drug to prevent HIV in babies may harm mothers
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Hello Friends
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 9 (AFP) - A drug that dramatically cuts a
baby's chances of catching HIV during childbirth makes the virus
more resistant to drugs that the mother or child may need later,
studies released Monday said.
Nevirapine is given to the mother during labor and again to the
baby within 72 hours of birth.
Nevirapine works for most babies born to infected mothers. But
the few babies who become infected with HIV, which causes AIDS,
become resistant to future treatments, according to researchers
at the 11th annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic
Infections.
One study of 623 pregnant women in South Africa found that in 39
percent of cases, HIV became resistant to nevirapine and another
drug, for at least 36 weeks after the childbirth treatment, ac-
cording a study led by South African researcher Neil Martinson.
Researchers said the findings do not call into question the use
of nevirapine during childbirth, but would force doctors to con-
sider adjusting treatment given to mothers once their babies are
born.
"We have to come up with a new strategy against resistance in
the mother and the baby that was infected" despite nevirapine
treatment, said John Mellors, a University of Pittsburgh doctor
who moderated a press conference on the subject.
Scott Hammer, a doctor at New York's Columbia University, added
that the study offers "crucial data that the world has been
waiting for."
The researchers are among 4,000 HIV and AIDS specialists meeting
at the conference until Wednesday.
A study conducted in Thailand showed nevirapine's high-success
rate: Only two percent of babies whose mothers were given the
drug became infected with HIV.
Researchers noted that 35 percent of babies become infected if
the mother does not receive treatment before and during preg-
nancy.
"This new strategy to reduce pediatric AIDS can be applied in
developing countries and achieve success rate equal to those
treatments currently used in industrialized nations," said Marc
Lallemant, a doctor at a Paris research institute who headed the
study.
The study showed 20 percent of women who took nevirapine devel-
oped a resistance to HIV treatments immediately after giving
birth, a phenomenon that researchers said should be studied.
Nevertheless, the Thai government decided to offer nevirapine in
combination with another drug to HIV-positive pregnant women,
Lallemant said.
Every day, more than 1,500 newborns are infected by mothers who
have HIV.
Of these children, 95 percent live in developing countries, said
Lallemant, who noted that one dose of nevirapine costs just four
dollars.
Warmly,
Ingrid Kloet
http://www.gnpplus.net
NM POZ COALITION
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