Resistance detected by pyrosequencing following zidovudine monotherapy for prevention of HIV-1 mother-to-child-transmission.

To prevent mother-to-child-transmission-of-HIV-1, the 2010 WHO guidelines recommended prenatal zidovudine monotherapy (Option A). To determine if ZDV-monotherapy selects for HIV-resistance in antiretroviral-naive women during pregnancy, specimens from 50 were examined using pyrosequencing. ZDV-resistance mutations were detected at delivery in 7 (14%, 95% confidence interval 6.6-26.5%). These data raise the question whether women administered zidovudine monotherapy for PMTCT could have higher risk of virologic failure when later started on combination ARV therapy, as has been demonstrated following single-dose-nevirapine prophylaxis.