HIV positive mothers might be more likely to pass the virus to their children in uterus if they are also infected with malaria, said reports here on Monday quoting scientists from the Cameroon branch of France's Pasteur Institute.

Scientists suspected a link between malaria and HIV after finding that mother-to-child HIV transmission in uterus was three times higher during the rainy season, when malaria is most prevalent.

Tests of 131 HIV and malaria infected pregnant women found that malaria boosts production of a substance that could increase HIV replication in the placenta and incapacitate foetus's immune system.

As co-infection of HIV and malaria frequently occurs in Africa, scientists believe that if the link between malaria and foetal HIV infection is established, local authorities should conduct routine tests of pregnant women for both diseases to reduce the risks of HIV transmission.

Most of the HIV-positive children under 15 got the virus from their mothers while they were in wombs. Currently, only 10 percent of the HIV-positive pregnant women could receive timely treatment to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease to their fetuses, according to statistics from the United Nations.

Source: Xinhua