EUROPE/ITALY - AIDS: in Mozambique mother-child transmission stopped in 97% of cases by S. Egidio DREAM project. Report to Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infection in San Francisco one of the most authoritative meetings for the prevention and treatment of the virus

Rome (Fides Service) - A Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infection CROI has just concluded in San Francisco USA. This is the 11th edition of this Conference a major appointment for the world of science and seen by many as the most important with regards progress to eliminate AIDS. More than 3,000 scientists, researchers and health workers took part. The Rome based S. Egidio charity also sent a delegation to report on the results of its DREAM (Drug Resource Enhancement against AIDS and Malnutrition) in Mozambique. DREAM has prevented mother-child transmission of the virus in 97% and the survival of persons with full blown AIDS in 90% of the cases. In two years Dream is the second experience in Sub Saharan Africa for the number of persons in assistance and therapy (respectively 7000 and 3000, out of a total of 70,000 on the entire continent), and it was the first project to obtain percentages of success to prevent the transmission of the del virus from HIV positive mother to child (97-98%), adherence to therapy in time (94%) survival in cases of full blown AIDS (90%).
DREAM is now being extended to Angola, Tanzania, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Malawi, South Africa and Swaziland.
(AP) (12/2/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:21; Parole:250)