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Implementing viral load testing in resource-limited settings: one size does not fit all
Mara Kardas-Nelson, 2013-12-19 09:20:00

Routine viral load can be done in low-resource settings, Helen Bygrave of Médecins Sans Frontières' Southern African Medical Unit told the 17th International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) last week, but choosing the appropriate testing platform, training clinicians, and increasing treatment literacy for patients are essential to ensuring that viral load tests are done correctly, and results acted upon.

Bygrave noted that viral load is an important component in what is referred to as the "treatment cascade"- that is, keeping people in care, and moreover, ensuring that their viral load is undetectable. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people on ART receive viral load tests once yearly. But in resource-constrained settings, viral load is not routinely available due to the cost of and complexities surrounding the test itself, as well as logistical issues such as sample transport and limited human resources.

Bygrave says that in low-resource settings, considering human resources, transport, lab accessibility, and type of facility are important in determining which sample type and technology to use.

Source:1