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A study has found that one in ten babies given a single dose of nevirapine to avoid getting HIV from their mothers not only become HIV positive anyway, but become nevirapine-resistant too. The same study reported two years ago that one in five of the mums develop another kind of nevirapine resistance. The ICAAC Conference was told that 46 per cent of the one in five babies in the HIVNET 012 trial who, despite the treatment, became HIV positive, developed the 'Y181C' resistance mutation to nevirapine. Presenter Dr Susan Eshleman defended the use of the regime. She told Positive

Nation: "In general, most of the experts agree that the benefits of the 012 regimen (effectiveness, low cost, simplicity) outweigh the risk of developing resistance in resource-poor countries". But UK resistance expert Professor Clive Loveday commented: "With this prevalence of resistance mutations after a single dose, we need to review carefully the way we use such drugs in this setting." Many resource-poor countries are considering or have already implemented the nevirapine regime.