Viral load detection using dried blood spots in a cohort of HIV-1-infected children in Uganda: correlations with clinical and immunological criteria for treatment failure

J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Jul;52(7):2665-7. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00961-14. Epub 2014 Apr 30.

Abstract

Correlations between clinical/immunological treatment failure and viral load (VL) detected by dried blood spot (DBS) sampling were explored in HIV-1-infected children in Uganda. Of 104 children on combined antiretroviral treatment (cART), 12.5% experienced clinical and/or immunological failure, while 28.8%, 44.2%, and 26.9% had VLs of <1,000, 1,000 to 5,000, and >5,000 copies/ml, respectively. Clinical/immunological failure poorly predicted virological failure.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
  • Blood / virology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Desiccation / methods*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Specimen Handling / methods*
  • Treatment Failure
  • Uganda
  • Viral Load / methods*

Substances

  • Anti-Retroviral Agents