Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press; Wednesday October 5, 1988
"Most new infections of children with AIDS are related to an infected mother," said Dr. Daniel Hoth, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' AIDS program.
"It's the widespread opinion of most experts in the field that one of the most important ways to stop the infection in children is to prevent the infection by catching it as early as possible," he said. "That leads you to the necessity of treating the infected mother."
Though he acknowledged that the studies are still at least several months away, animal model studies have shown that AZT prevents transmission of viral infection from an infected mother to the offspring.
The trials did not involve the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. The side effects of AZT-the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for AIDS patients-are a major concern, Hoth said. The main side effects encountered by some people are a decrease in production of red or white blood cells.
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