In regards to known cases of HIV transmission via breastfeeding with modern
testing methods, per Medline, there is an article regarding transmission in
AIDS, from 11/2002.  The study was actually looking at acute HIV infection
in infants (in Africa) to see if there were symptoms of acute infection in
babies that pediatricians could watch for.  The subjects were all infants
who tested negative by PCR at at least 45 days of age, and then subsequently
tested positive.  I have not read the whole article and cannot comment on
the methods or the validity, merely that in the abstract they report testing
using modern methods.
AIDS 2002 Nov 22;16(17):2303-9 Author Rouet F, et al
Doing just a quick medline search showed several articles where breastfed
babies were negative by PCR, and then at some point converted to positive.
This was just the first one I found.  I didn't look far enough to see what
the rate of such conversion is (although 1 abstract said 9% of infants who
were negative and breastfeeding later turned positive.  It was a small
sample, though)
As to why moms aren't offered the choice to express and pasturize their own
milk, I don't know why not.  Moms should at least be offered what statistics
and knowledge there is so they can make an informed choice.
Jennifer Tieman
Family Physician
Mom to 3, and new baby #4 expected 5/31/03

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