HIV risk exposure in young children: a study of 2-9 year olds served by public health facilities in the Free State, South Africa

This study, produced by the Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa, sets out to investigate all possible routes of HIV transmission among 2 – 9 year old children in the Free State of South Africa. The aim of the study is to identify risk factors among children in this age group, other than those factors associated with transmission from their mothers. The study identifies shared breastfeeding as a new, previously unreported risk factor in HIV transmission, with 1.7 percent of children now breastfed by a non-biological mother.

The study makes a number of key recommendations. Firstly, the government needs to provide counselling, care and support and treatment for the increasing number of HIV-positive children who survive to adolescence. The public should also be informed that breastfeeding of children by a non-biological mother is a potential risk factor for HIV infection of children. Other recommendations include: improved labelling milk in milk rooms to prevent HIV negative children from infection; providing a range of support strategies or mothers and children in public health facilities as well as implementing routine HIV testing; and conducting a campaign to educate the public, and to insist that health workers practice universal precautions when they provide services.[adapted from author]