Twenty-four month efficacy of a maternal short-course zidovudine regimen to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in West Africa

A maternal short-course zidovudine regimen reduces MTCT of HIV-1 at age 24 months, despite prolonged breastfeeding. However, efficacy was observed only among women with CD4 cell counts > or =500/ml. New interventions should be considered to prevent MTCT, especially for African women with advanced HIV-1 immunodeficiency.