Retrospective review of maternal HIV viral load electronic gatekeeping codes in South Africa.

Background: Maternal electronic gatekeeping (eGK) codes for HIV viral load (VL) testing of pregnant and breastfeeding women were developed to permit increased frequency of maternal HIV VL testing without automated gatekeeping cancellation, and to enable virological surveillance.

Objectives: This study describes the national uptake of maternal eGK codes and VL suppression (VLS) rates disaggregated by age during antenatal, delivery and postnatal periods in South Africa during 2022.

Method: HIV VL tests associated with C#PMTCT (used for antenatal and postnatal testing) and C#DELIVERY (used at delivery) eGK codes between 01 January and 31 December 2022, were extracted from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases Data Warehouse.

Evaluating the performance of the GeneXpert HIV-1 qualitative assay as a consecutive test for a new early infant diagnosis algorithm in South Africa.

Background: The proportion of HIV-exposed infants and young children infected with HIV in South Africa (SA) has declined markedly over the past decade as a result of the country's comprehensive prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme. This decrease has in turn reduced the positive predictive value (PPV) of diagnostic assays, necessitating review of early infant diagnosis (EID) algorithms to ensure improved accuracy.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of the GeneXpert HIV-1 qualitative assay (Xpert EID) as a consecutive test for infants with an 'HIV-detected' polymerase chain reaction screening test at birth.

Maternal HIV viral load testing during pregnancy and postpartum care in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Background: Pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV (WLHIV) are a target population for elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (eMTCT). However, there are limited data on maternal virological responses during pregnancy and the postpartum period in South Africa (SA).

Objectives: To review compliance of viral load (VL) testing with national guidelines and suppression rates during pregnancy and up to 9  months postpartum among WLHIV delivering in four tertiary hospitals in Gauteng Province, SA.

Evaluation of the Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx assay for HIV diagnosis at birth in South Africa.

The increased coverage of antiretroviral therapy has resulted in a decrease in the positive predictive value (PPV) and diagnostic sensitivity of early infant diagnosis assays. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the Aptima HIV-1 Quant DX assay (Aptima) in detecting HIV infection at birth. The study was a cross-sectional laboratory based evaluation using whole blood DBS specimens.