HIV testing, as suggested by someone, seems to me to be too risky.  Why?
Diagnostic tests for HIV (the ELISA and Western Blot) do not detect HIV
itself.  They detect only interactions between proteins and the antibodies
they think are specific to HIV (there are scientists who believe that HIV has
never been isolated and therefore puts all testing into question--Perth
Group).  One might want to read "What if everything you thought you knew
about AIDS WAS WRONG?" by Christine Maggiore which lists the 60 or more
factors that can cause a positive result--one being pregnancy in a
multiparous women.  One of the tests used called enzyme-linked immunoassay
(EIA) that is available to detect the HIV-1 antibody states that in a
population with a low prevalence for HIV-1, most positive EIA test results
will be false positives.  The Western Blot used to confirm EIA positives
(appropriate testing for HIV requires at least 2 tests preferable 3 to
confirm a positive) needs to be done by qualified labs because it requires
high-quality reagents, careful interpretation of the band patterns and
rigorous quality control. See:
http://www.commhlth.medic.ukm.my/aids/TESTHIV.HTM

So I believe that testing every mother that provided breastmilk in that
daycare setting seems inappropriate and risky for some mothers (who may
receive a false positive).  How about the infant being tested?  Well what
usually is used is the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Test.  PCR is used for
early detection of perinatally acquired HIV-1 infection.  But while its
advantage is that it is an extremely sensitive test, it is known that this
test results in a high level of false positives.  It is also not recommended
as a diagnostic test for postexposure diagnosis of HIV infection following
needlestick or sexual exposure because of misleading false positive or false
negative results.  See:  http://www.niv.ac.za/essons/current/les10_1.htm

All these tests were never intended to be diagnostics.  The information on
the PCR states, "It must be emphasized that virological diagnosis still
largely depends on clinical and epidemiological criteria, with laboratory
tests including PCR functioning in a complementary supportive role."
http://www.niv.ac.za/essons/current/les10_1.htm

The CDC states that the risk is low for an infant given the wrong milk.  And
I would suggest that testing might create more problems because of false
positives.  This mother may need to reconsider her use of this daycare
facility for her infant.  Accidents do happen but this mom stated that she
just knew this was going to happen.  So she must be seeing other careless
acts at this facility.  Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

PS:   I have to add that various companies in the US are using genetically
engineered human lactoferrin to prevent and treat hiv/aids based on studies
of real human lactoferrin in human milk.  Therefore, maybe the concern is
misplaced.  Of course in my opinion our health care policy of denying
breastfeeding to women who are supposedly hiv-positive is very
questionable....

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