breastfeeding and hiv

(image source: flickr / various brennemans) by jasmine bailey researchers at duke university have identifieda protein in breast milk that prevents infants from contracting hiv from their infected mothers. it's long been thought a mother's milk hadpreventative properties but this is the first time the substance has been identified. (viawncn) it's called tenascin-c or tnc. researchershave known about the protein's wound healing abilities but the discovery of antimicrobialcapabilities could help create new ways to prevent hiv. (via international business times)

in a statement the lead author said: "eventhough we have antiretroviral drugs that can work to prevent mother-to-child transmission,not every pregnant woman is being tested for hiv ... so there is still a need for alternativestrategies to prevent mother-to-child transmission, which is why this work is important." (viaduke university) tnc works to fight hiv transmitting by defusingthe virus. researchers say they can use this discoveryto possibly create a treatment given to infants before they begin breastfeeding. (via healthday) according to unicef about 330,000 childrenworldwide acquired hiv from their mothers through pregnancy or birth in 2011.