HIV Transmitted To Babies Through Pre-Chewed Food

Boston, MA (AHN) - Babies can acquire HIV by eating pre-chewed food prepared by their infected parent or caretakers, researchers revealed. According to scientists, the virus is transmitted through the blood and not the saliva of the infected person who has bleeding gums or even mouth sores.

Pre-chewing baby food before giving it to the babies is a practice among poor or even developing countries where people can't afford to buy baby food or the equipment to grind up food for babies who can't chew because they have no teeth.

Three cases were reported in the United States from 1993-2004. Epidemiologists from the centers, together with researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and the University of Miami, closely and carefully scrutinized all three cases. They ruled out breast-feeding, sexual abuse and needle sticks as the reasons of infection.

The first case was diagnosed in 1993 involving a 15-month-old African-American boy in Miami. He was diagnosed with HIV when his infected great-aunt pre-chewed food for him when he was between the ages of 9 months and 14 months.

In 1995, a 3-year-old Caribbean-American boy was diagnosed with HIV. His infected mom pre-chewed his food.

And in 2004, a 9-month-old African-American girl in Memphis was diagnosed with HIV. Her mother pre-chewed her food when she was 4 months old.

The three children have inflamed gums at the time of acquiring the virus. The virus was passed through the bloodstream from the infected host who may have wound on their gums or mouth to the babies.