Antiviral activity of nucleoside analogues during short-course monotherapy or dual therapy: its role in preventing HIV infection in infants.

Background: This is the first report on the preliminary efficacy of 4 different short-course nucleoside analogue regimens (stavudine [d4T], didanosine [ddI], d4T+ddI, and zidovudine [ZDV]) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 (MTCT) in a resource-limited setting.

Design: This prospective open-label, randomized 4-arm study (May 1999 to May 2000) conducted in South Africa enrolled 373 women from 34 weeks of gestation; medication was continued through delivery and for 6 weeks to infants. MTCT rates were ascertained at birth, 6, 12, and 24 weeks of age.