Lessons learnt from assessing and improving accuracy and positive predictive value of the national HIV testing algorithm in Nigeria.

Background: HIV testing remains an entry point into HIV care and treatment services. In 2007, Nigeria adopted and implemented a two-test rapid HIV testing algorithm of three HIV rapid test kits, following the sequence: Alere Determine (first test), Unigold (second test), and STAT-PAK as the tie-breaker. Sub-analysis of the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey data showed significant discordance between the first and second tests, necessitating an evaluation of the algorithm.

Evaluation of the Nigeria national HIV rapid testing algorithm.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) diagnosis remains the gateway to HIV care and treatment. However, due to changes in HIV prevalence and testing coverage across different geopolitical zones, it is crucial to evaluate the national HIV testing algorithm as false positivity due to low prevalence could be detrimental to both the client and the service delivery. Therefore, we evaluated the performance of the national HIV rapid testing algorithm using specimens collected from multiple HIV testing services (HTS) sites and compared the results from different HIV prevalence levels across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Outcomes of HIV Positive Children and Adolescents Initiated on Antiretroviral Treatment in Nigeria (2007-2016).

This manuscript aimed to examine treatment outcomes of HIV-positive children and adolescents. We retrospectively analyzed data of a sample of patients aged 0-19 years who initiated ART (October 2007-September 2016) in participating sites in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria. Among 4006 patients alive at the end of the follow up period, 138 (3.