title: HIV viral load monitoring in resource-limited regions: optional or necessary?
abstract: Although it is a standard practice in high-income countries, determination of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load is not recommended in developing countries because of the costs and technical constraints. As more and more countries establish capacity to provide second-line therapy, and as costs and technological constraints associated with viral load testing decrease, the question of whether determination of the viral load is necessary deserves attention. Viral load testing could increase in importance as a guide for clinical decisions on when to switch to second-line treatment and on how to optimize the duration of the first-line treatment regimen. In addition, the viral load is a particularly useful tool for monitoring adherence to treatment, performing sentinel surveillance, and diagnosing HIV infection in children aged <18 months. Rather than considering viral load data to be an unaffordable luxury, efforts should be made to ensure that viral load testing becomes affordable, simple, and easy to use in resource-limited settings.
authors.affiliation: Medecins sans Frontieres, Access to Medicines Campaign, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland. acalmy@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calmy
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hirschel
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Lut
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lynen
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goemaere
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garcia de la Vega
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003906:Developing Countries; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents