Posted on 02/10/2006 10:48:13 PM PST by neverdem
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA -- The drug nevirapine prevents the spread of the AIDS virus from mother to child time after time, a new study suggests, challenging earlier findings.
The new research presented Wednesday at a scientific meeting in Denver found that in Ugandan women who received the drug during a first pregnancy, HIV transmission was prevented during second pregnancies as well.
The research may ease concerns raised in previous studies that HIV develops resistance to the drug, said Dr. Michael Thigpen, a medical epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Based on these findings, we believe nevirapine in repeat pregnancies remains an effective option in these resource-limited countries," said Thigpen, who is part of the research team.
The study looked at 198 women treated in 2004 and 2005 at a hospital in Kampala, Uganda.
Nevirapine is an inexpensive and easy-to-take medication that has become a mainstay in the effort to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in poor countries. Proponents say the drug cuts the transmission risk in half.
Mothers receive a pill when they go into labor, and their newborns get the medication in a syrup within 72 hours of birth.
The drug came into question in earlier studies done in South Africa and Uganda, which found that 20 percent to 40 percent of HIV-infected women developed resistance to nevirapine after taking one dose to protect their newborns from getting the infection.
The new research found that the HIV infection rate was 14.6 percent for babies born to nevirapine-treated women who also took the drug during a previous pregnancy. The rate was 17.6 percent for nevirapine-treated women who were not given the drug during an earlier pregnancy.
The research is good news, said Mark Isaac, a vice president for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, which funds HIV/AIDS research and worldwide treatment programs.
A study of multiple pregnancies in South Africa and Ivory Coast, also announced Wednesday, produced similar results. Three other studies showed low risks of nevirapine resistance in women who took the medicine more than a year after the initial dose.
"It's fair to say we're breathing a sigh of relief," Isaac said.
Thigpen said there are different subtypes of HIV, and one that circulates in southern Africa appears especially resistant to nevirapine.
"In Uganda, there are a couple of different subtypes. That (fact) may limit our ability to associate these findings with other areas of Africa," Thigpen said, referring to his study's findings.
I'm glad such a treatment exists for the newborn's sake.
Aids research gets so much money, and people are living so much longer with Aids now. Too bad some other diseases don't get the same treatment.
Well, according to reports earlier this week, spending on AIDS/HIV may come to a complete stop within a decade. A researcher at Brigham Young University, in conjuction with researchers at Vanderbilt Univeristy, has discovered what may well be a cure not only to AIDS but all viral infections. If proven to be true, this will free up enormous amounts of research money that can now be devoted to other diseases. Here's hoping.
Don't want to sound insensitive...but Why is an HIV positive woman engaging in unprotected sex which results in pregnancy?
I have worked with this drug a few years ago. Besides its effectiveness in preventing Mother-to-Child transmission, the other great thing about it is that it's inexpensive. Far as I know, for these economic and social reasons it's one of the best drugs we have for fighting HIV the 3rd world.
Nevermind the last post..I see the article mentioned that the drug was cheap.
Some are prostitutes and some are married women. In any event, the infection rate is 30% or more, and many don't know they or their spouse are infected -- and often don't find out until after giving birth.
Why is an HIV positive woman engaging in unprotected sex which results in pregnancy?
That was my first response.
In most cases, because she's having sex with her husband who, unknown to her, is HIV positive.
I've read that long distance truck drivers are a major HIV vector in Africa. They consort with prostitutes on their routes, get infected, and bring it home to their wives.
Sure. In places where 30%+ of the population are infected (not the "infection rate" as I mistakenly worded it in a post above), everyone are vectors. Mothers to children, spouse to spouse, soldier to prostitute, prostitute to truck driver.
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