Acceptability of Early Antiretroviral Therapy Among South African Women.

WHO guidelines recommend immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all individuals at HIV diagnosis regardless of CD4 count, but concerns remain about potential low uptake or poor adherence among healthy patients with high CD4 counts, especially in resource-limited settings. This study assessed the acceptability of earlier treatment among HIV-positive South African women, median age at enrollment 25 (IQR 22-30), in a 10 year prospective cohort study by (i) describing temporal CD4 count trends at initiation in relation to WHO guidance, (ii) virological suppression rates post-ART initiation at different CD4 count thresholds, and (iii) administration of a standardized questionnaire. 158/232 (68.

Efficacy and safety of tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy in women who acquired HIV while enrolled in tenofovir gel prophylaxis trials.

Background: We assessed whether women who acquired HIV during tenofovir gel prophylaxis trials can be safely and effectively treated with tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods: Between May 2011 and October 2014, HIV seroconvertors from two tenofovir gel trials were recruited when eligible for ART (CD4 T-cell count <350 cells/μl, pregnancy or AIDS-defining illness). Women were randomized to tenofovir-containing (tenofovir + lamivudine/emtricitabine + efavirenz) or tenofovir-sparing (zidovudine + lamivudine/emtricitabine + efavirenz) antiretroviral treatment regimens.