Challenges of scale-up to dolutegravir-based regimens in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: Evaluate the potential effectiveness of the implementation of dolutegravir (DTG)-based regimens in patients on failing current antiretroviral treatment (ART) given the high levels of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) resistance in Togo.

Design: Patients on ART attending health facilities for routine follow-up visits and for whom HIV viral load test was performed were consecutively included.

Methods: Protease, reverse transcriptase and integrase fragments were sequenced and analyzed for presence of drug resistance mutations for patients with viral load more than 1000 copies/ml.