Commentary: State of the ART modelling for HIV-infected children?

In sub-Saharan Africa where the principle transmission route of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is heterosexual sex it is women and children who bear the greatest burden of HIV infection. The rate of transmission per sex act from an infected man to uninfected women is ~3 times that from an infected woman to an uninfected man resulting in an HIV prevalence ratio of 60% women to 40% men in many communities. Children of HIV-infected mothers are exposed in the womb during labour and delivery and post-natally through breastfeeding. If they become infected disease progression is more rapid than in adults but potent antiretroviral therapy (ART) also greatly reduces mortality in children living in low-income settings. In order to plan the provision of ART to HIV-infected children in these settings information on the number of children needing such treatment is required. (excerpt)