Postnatal Transmission of HIV Infection

To the Editor: In the article of Van de Perre et al. (Aug. 29 issue) 1 there are some important definitions concerning the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that are not proved. The authors assume that a negative result on polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) analysis is a demonstration that there is no infection at that time. We think that a negative result can never be a proof, even with such techniques as the nested PCR. Seroconversion three months after delivery does not prove that infection occurred postnatally. Although seronegative, 2 the mothers were most probably infected before delivery, but no virologic or . . .