Pretoria pasteurisation: a potential method for the reduction of postnatal mother to child transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus.

HIV can be transmitted by breastfeeding. The virus is inactivated by heating. A simple and inexpensive method has been devised by which expressed breastmilk may be pasteurised in a domestic setting. The method uses the principle of heat transfer from 450 ml of water heated to boiling point in an aluminum pot to a smaller volume of milk in a glass jar placed into the water (Pretoria Pasteurisation). The aim of this study was to test the reliability of Pretoria Pasteurisation under a range of conditions. Pretoria Pasteurisation was performed using differing starting values for each of the following parameters: volume of milk (between 50 and 150 ml); initial temperature of milk (between 37 degrees C and the ambient temperature); and ambient temperature. Each of the parameters was varied within the range indicated while all other conditions were kept constant. A graph of milk and water temperature against time was constructed with 95% confidence intervals. The ideal temperature range was considered to be between 56 and 62.5 degrees C. Milk temperature remained between 56 and 62.5 degrees C for between 10 and 15 min depending on the combination of variables. The peak temperature and duration of time in the ideal temperature range was minimally sensitive to volume of milk, starting temperature of milk, and ambient temperature. Pretoria Pasteurisation is feasible and reliable under a range of conditions. The method requires refinement and further testing under different conditions.