Mothers who are infected with HIV might have to think again when feeding their baby with food they have already pre-chewed. US government scientists found out that the AIDS virus can be passed from infected people to babies through pre-chewed food.

These researchers said that the saliva of infected women did not transmit the virus to the babies, but rather the blood that was present in the saliva caused the infection.

They also added that the HIV transmission may have occurred when children ingest pre-chewed food that contains blood from the bleeding gums of HIV-infected mothers. The virus was able to enter the bloodstreams through a cut, sore or even inflammation of the mouth or digestive tract.

With these recent findings, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, "Pre-mastication is a newly recognized route for HIV transmission that warrants further investigation in order to continue reducing cases of HIV transmission in the U.S.

Finally, the CDC also gave a fair warning to those who are concerned. They stated that,

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.