Effect of perinatal short-course zidovudine on the clinical and virological manifestations of HIV-1 subtype E infection in infants.

Background: The perinatal short-course zidovudine (ZDV) chemoprophylaxis that can reduce HIV-1 vertical transmission by 51% has been widely practiced in developing countries such as Thailand because of its simpler and less cost.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of short-course regimen of oral ZDV for prophylaxis of HIV-1 subtype E vertical transmission among 'break-through' HIV-1 infected infants.

Study Design: The study analyzed clinical and virological outcomes of 80 infants, whose mothers received ZDV prophylaxis starting at 36 weeks gestation (group Z) and 37 infants whose mothers never received anti-retroviral drugs (group C), at the ages of 1-2, 4-6, and 12 months.