CCR5 Chemokine Receptor Variant in HIV-1 Mother-to-Child Transmission and Disease Progression in Children

Abstract
STUDIES IN adults have shown that homozygosity for a deletion of 32 base pairs (bp) (Δ32) in the CCR5 gene is associated with substantial—but not absolute—resistance to infection with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).1-10 Findings concerning the protection conferred by heterozygosity are conflicting.3-6,11 In terms of disease progression, the beneficial impact of heterozygosity is clear in some reports3-5,12 or modest and limited to biological variables in others4,6,11 or not confirmed.13