Levels of Total Antioxidant Capacity, sCD14, and TGF-β2 in Breast Milk Plasma of HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Lactating Women.

Breast milk provides nourishment for infants and nonnutritive bioactive factors, which possess key protective and developmental benefits essential in shaping the infant immune system. However, the impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and universal antiretroviral therapy (ART) on breast milk nutritional composition and immunity status is not well documented. The study aimed to compare breast milk immune factors; total antioxidant capacity (TAC), soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14), and transcription growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-β2) levels between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected lactating mothers and determine the association between breast milk parameters with HIV disease progression and duration of ART.

Growth Trajectories of HIV Exposed and HIV Unexposed Infants. A Prospective Study in Gweru, Zimbabwe.

Background: With the increasing HIV seroprevalence among women of childbearing age in sub-Saharan Africa, limited data on growth outcomes of HIV exposed infants under current policies of universal maternal antiretroviral therapy exist.

Methods: The longitudinal growth patterns of 114 HIV exposed and unexposed infants were assessed and compared. The prevalence and factors associated with malnutrition were established.