Lactoferrin inhibits HIV-1 replication in vitro and exhibits synergy when combined with zidovudine

Lactoferrin, an 80 kDa glycoprotein with well-known antibacterial properties, is present in mammalian milk and in most exocrine fluids such as saliva, bile, pancreatic fluid and tears. The antiviral properties of human milk have also been demonstrated, and one study suggested that lactoferrin is active against HIV-1 infection. Among 440 mother-infant pairs in Malawi, pregnant women with lactoferrin levels below 0.91 g/ml had a 28.6% perinatal HIV-I transmission rate, compared with a 12.1% rate in mothers with serum lactoferrin levels above 2.54 mu g/ml, demonstrating a significant correlation between low maternal serum lactoferrin levels and the risk of perinatal HIV-1 transmission.