Nevirapine Resistance in Women and Infants after First versus Repeated Use of Single-Dose Nevirapine for Prevention of HIV-1 Vertical Transmission

Single-dose (SD) nevirapine (NVP) significantly reduces mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We analyzed NVP resistance after receipt of SD NVP in 57 previously SD NVP-naive women, in 34 SD NVP-experienced women, and in 17 HIV-infected infants. The proportion of women infected with variants with resistance mutations, the types of mutations detected, and the frequency and level of K103N were similar in the two groups of women at 6 weeks and 6 months post partum. NVP resistance was detected in a similar proportion of infants born to SD NVP-naive versus SD NVP-experienced women. Repeated use of SD NVP to prevent HIV transmission does not appear to influence NVP resistance.