Progress with Scale-Up of HIV Viral Load Monitoring - Seven Sub-Saharan African Countries, January 2015-June 2016.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends viral load testing as the preferred method for monitoring the clinical response of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to antiretroviral therapy (ART) (1). Viral load monitoring of patients on ART helps ensure early diagnosis and confirmation of ART failure and enables clinicians to take an appropriate course of action for patient management. When viral suppression is achieved and maintained, HIV transmission is substantially decreased, as is HIV-associated morbidity and mortality (2).

Scale-up of HIV Viral Load Monitoring--Seven Sub-Saharan African Countries.

To achieve global targets for universal treatment set forth by the Joint United Nations Programme on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (UNAIDS), viral load monitoring for HIV-infected persons receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) must become the standard of care in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) (1). CDC and other U.S.

Quantification of HIV-1 p24 by a highly improved ELISA: an alternative to HIV-1 RNA based treatment monitoring in patients from Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: Quantification of HIV-1 RNA remains difficult to implement in Africa. Simple and inexpensive tests for antiretroviral treatment (ART) monitoring are needed.

Objective: To evaluate an HIV-1 p24 ELISA, which combines efficient virus disruption, heat-denaturation and signal amplification, in a West African setting.

Changes in levels of immune activation and reconstitution markers among HIV-1-infected Africans receiving antiretroviral therapy.

Objective: To describe changes in immune activation and reconstitution markers among HIV-1-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Methods: Between November 1998 and February 2001, we analyzed changes in immune activation and reconstitution markers among 52 patients. Good virologic responders (n = 26) were defined as those who had suppressed and maintained plasma viral load (VL) below the detection limit of the assay for at least 12 months.