In a third case, a boy, age 15 months, was diagnosed with HIV in 1993. The boy's mother is HIV-negative but his HIV-positive great-aunt served as a caregiver and had given him pre-chewed food. The researchers said the mother did not know the aunt was HIV-positive until after she died of AIDS. The boy is still alive, getting HIV drugs.
"The researchers advise that health care providers and HIV-infected child caregivers should be aware of the potential health risks and should advise those caregivers against the practice of pre-chewing food for their infants," the CDC said.
