The HIV question got me really thinking.  I spoke to a non-lactnetter health
educator who specializes in lactation.  She also does the HIV education for a
large HMO.  She let me know the following:

An HIV-positive infant can be tested for the actual virus.  The common ELISA
HIV test tests only for the antibody.  Lots of HIV-positive infants
seroconvert to negative once the mother's antibodies are no longer present.
This can take up to two years. The test is about $1000, uses a lot of blood
and can take up to eight weeks to get the results.  An HIV-positive baby she
would breastfeed.  An HIV-negative baby she would not breastfeed.

The vertical transmission of the virus is down to 15-30%.  (Vertical
transmission is transmission from mother to baby.)  The  rates have been
declining because of better techniques during birth and the use of AZT and
similar drugs.

HIV-positive breastfed children live an average of 18 months longer than
artificially-fed children.  Breastmilk provides the antibodies and the IgA to
fight the infection.  Breastmilk has antiviral substances that can destroy
the protein coat of the cell.

An individual with a new HIV infection is up to 12 times more likely to pass
the virus on than a person with an "old" infection.

Her suggestion was to have breastmilk pasteurized while awaiting test
results.

Elizabeth