The inter-relation of maternal immune competence, HIV-1 viral load, and nutritional status in preventing vertical transmission: an alternative to chemoprophylaxis?

Moran, P.J.; Welles, S.L.; Williams, M.A.

« Previous Next »Medical Hypotheses
Volume 51, Issue 5 , Pages 389-397, November 1998

The inter-relation of maternal immune competence, HIV-1 viral load, and nutritional status in preventing vertical transmission: an alternative to chemoprophylaxis?

P.J. Moran
- Department of Epidemiology, Minority International Research Training Program, University of Washington, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, USA
S.L. Welles
- Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Sweden
M.A. Williams
- Correspondence/offprint requests to: Dr Michelle A. Williams, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Box 357236, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA (Phone: +206 543-8225; Fax +206 543-8525)
- Department of Epidemiology, Minority International Research Training Program, University of Washington, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, USA
- Infectious Disease Unit, Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Epidemiology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA

Received 9 May 1997; accepted 12 June 1997.

Abstract

As the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) global pandemic moves towards the end of its second decade, women of reproductive age throughout the world have been shown to be increasingly at risk for acquiring HIV-1 infection. Recently, the focus for preventive measures has expanded to include preventing the perinatal transmission of HIV-1 to fetuses and newborns. This manuscript reviews the available literature that examines risk factors for perinatal transmission, immunopathogenesis of HIV-1 infection, and the role that antioxidant micronutrients play in modulating immune response to HIV-1 disease progression. The available information provides a compelling case for the design of studies that evaluate the extent to which maternal HIV-1 viremia and disease progression are modulated by her nutritional status. Should results from these studies confirm that antioxidant micronutrient status is inversely related to HIV-1 RNA load, particularly in economically vulnerable populations, carefully designed and executed supplementation trials would be warranted.

No full text is available. To read the body of this article, please view the PDF online.