Nanotechnology contributions to the pharmacotherapy of pediatric HIV: a dual scientific and ethical challenge and a still pending agenda

Abstract

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the most deadly infectious disease of our times. It currently affects more than 40 million people worldwide [101]. HIV is a disease of poverty as more than 80% of the patients live in developing nations and 60% in the sub-Saharan region (sSR) of Africa. Children represent approximately 6% of the infected population, though 15% of the new infections and the 15% of the nearly 2 million annual deaths. In addition, 15 million children have been orphaned due to AIDS [102]; 11.6 millions only in the sSR. Pediatric HIV has been almost eradicated in developed countries by preventing the mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) and replacing natural delivery by caesarean. Conversely, in the developing world, 1000 new cases are registered every day. Only 10% of the HIV-positive children have appropriate access to medication, this extent decreasing dramatically to less than 2% in the sSR [103]. Thus, while HIV is gradually becoming a chronic and manageable disease in Europe and North America owing to the high activity antiretroviral therapy (HAART) or cocktail, most HIV-infected children in Africa are unfortunately sentenced to die before the two years of age.