Feb 2024 LabCoP Monthly ECHO Session: Low Level Viremia During Anti-retroviral Therapy; Studies from Uganda


March 11, 2024

The February LabCoP ECHO Session focused on low-level viremia during anti-retroviral therapy. Progress in research on HIV/AIDS, the implementation of interventions to support prevention, case identification and availing lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART) have been generally successful. Despite these strides, up to 39 Million people globally were living with HIV and about 630,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2022. Viral load testing was recommended in 2013 as the preferred method for monitoring HIV clients on treatment. Initially results were categorised as suppressed (<1000 copies/ml) or non-suppressed (≥1000 copies/ml), but this has been further disaggregated into undetectable, suppressed but detectable and un-suppressed. A proportion of virally suppressed clients on ART are known to live with low-level viremia (≥50 but < 1000 copies/ml) and understanding their prognosis and potency of some interventions are key. In this session, presented by Dr Nanyeenya Nicholus, we looked at studies conducted in Uganda, to generate granular information on low-lev viremia, predicting prognosis and highlighting some of the potent interventions to shape prognosis and improve individual-level treatment outcomes. Please follow the links here to view the recorded ECHO session and download the presentation slides.