Breast milk can stop HIV from latching on to in vitro cells even when diluted 500-fold. Lewis X, a type of sugar found in breast milk, saliva, and blood, is the wonder compound.

The findings do not mean that it is a good idea for HIV-positive mothers to breastfeed their infants, say the researchers, as the virus can still be transmitted this way. But if the results hold true in further studies, they could lead to new ways to block transmission of HIV between adults during sex.

The question remains why 200,000 infants a year acquire HIV from drinking breast milk. According to UNICEF, between 10-20 percent of infants with HIV-positive mothers become HIV-positive as well after being breastfed for two years. Researchers suggest that even more children would be infected if breast milk did not have protective substances such as Lewis X.

news@nature.com, October 21, 2005

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