title: Impact of new developments in antiretroviral treatment on AIDS prevention and care in resource-poor countries.
abstract: Combination antiretroviral treatment (ARV) including protease inhibitors, decreased the morbidity and mortality due to AIDS in the industrialized world. Many obstacles remain before ARVs can be introduced in resource-poor countries: high treatment costs, lack of laboratories to monitor the treatment, weak healthcare systems, and many other competing healthcare needs. The introduction of ARVs in resource-poor countries should be closely monitored. The first priority for the use of ARVs in resource-poor countries is the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. News about the success of ARV treatment may lead to an increase in unsafe behaviors including a decreased use of condoms. Therefore, prevention efforts should be strengthened; especially the development of an HIV vaccine needs to become a top priority. Funds for ARV treatment cannot come from the already strained healthcare budgets of resource-poor countries. The pressure on politicians and international donor agencies to provide ARVs to resource-poor countries should be used to increase overall healthcare budgets and to improve healthcare services in general.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. bcoleb@itg.be
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colebunders
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Verdonck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nachega
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kothari
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003906:Developing Countries; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents