Therapist Unlimited Blog

Persons infected with Human Immuno Virus (HIV) should avoid giving pre-chewed foods to their love ones especially their children since doing so could help transmit the deadly disease to them.
Medical researchers recently discovered that some HIV infected mothers transmitted HIV to their young children through pre-chewed foods.
The researchers revealed their findings suggest that HIV-infected mothers or other caregivers should be warned against giving infants pre-chewed food and directed toward
safer feeding options.
With the discovery, researchers hope physicians and clinics should routinely include questions about pre-chewing food in their health
screening of infant caregivers who have HIV or are suspected of the infection.
In addition, the researchers also suggested that possible cases of HIV transmission through pre-chewed food should be reported to public health agencies to help increase understanding of the prevalence of such transmission.
According to the data gathered by the researchers giving infants’ pre-chewed food has been reported to transmit infections such as streptococcus and the hepatitis B virus,
The researchers explained until these cases there was no evidence that the blood-borne HIV could be similarly transmitted.
The researchers said the source of blood in the saliva of the person pre-chewing the food for the child may likely have been visible or microscopic bleeding from the gums or some other part of the mouth, he added.
Furthermore, the researchers concluded that that the findings do not warrant a blanket recommendation against pre-chewed food for infants.

Giving of pre-chewed foods should be avoided by HIV infected patients since doing so could help transmit the deadly disease.

The researchers said the practice, which has been reported from many parts of the world including the United States may be integral to providing adequate infant nutrition and grounded in culture and tradition.
The team said on a global level, educating HIV-positive caregivers will require cognizance of culturally sensitive issues and potential nutritional consequences linked to pre-chewing.
The team also said that their findings also do not imply that HIV can be transmitted through saliva during oral contact such as kissing.
The researchers revealed HIV transmission was likely enabled by bleeding gums or open mouth sores.
They said their report does not challenge the accepted belief that saliva does not carry HIV and that transmission does not occur in kissing.
They said the exception is that transmission can occur when the people involved have damaged mucosa in their mouths, and blood is mixed with the saliva.