HIV-1 infection can be transmitted from an infected mother to her offspring. The infant will develop a chronic infection leading, in some patients, to a severe infantile disease with major neurological symptoms. This description, however, which is often presented by the mass media, can be misleading. In fact, infection of the infant occurs in only a low percentage of births and 60% of HIV-1 infected children will be alive and pursuing a normal school curriculum at the age of 10 years1-6.