ArticleDiagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)2023
HIV Viral Load Testing in the South African Public Health Setting in the Context of Evolving ART Guidelines and Advances in Technology, 2013-2022.
Article in Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Stepped Care, Peer-Delivered Intervention to Improve Substance Use and HIV Medication Adherence in Primary Care in South Africa (ProjectJMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Trends in advanced HIV disease, treatment interruption, and viraemia in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- HIV epidemic in Lesotho - HIV treatment and monitoring of patients on antiretroviral therapy 2014-2024.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Estimates and predictors of HIV viral non-suppression in South African adults on antiretroviral treatment.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2026Article
- Diagnostic Accuracy of the CobasBiomedicines · 2025Article
- Viral Load Suppression Associated With Undisclosed HIV Status Among Adolescents Aged 10 to 19 Years Living With HIV in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Scoping Review.JMIR research protocols · 2025Article
- Point-of-care nucleic acid testing - a step forward in controlling the HIV epidemic: A review.HIV medicine · 2025Review
- Non-compliance to antiretroviral therapy readjustments following complications in HIV-positive patients in South Africa.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Article
- High paediatric HIV viral load rejection rate in South Africa, a retrospective review.Southern African journal of HIV medicine · 2025Article
- Prevalence and factors associated with HIV viral rebound in individuals on ART: A systematic review study.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Review
- Using data science to investigate rising HIV low-level viraemia results at Groote Schuur laboratory in South Africa.African journal of laboratory medicine · 2025Article
- Ten-year health impact, economic impact and return on investment of the South African molecular diagnostics programme for HIV, tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2.BMJ global health · 2024Article
- Geospatial and temporal mapping of detectable HIV-1 viral loads amid dolutegravir rollout in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Retrospective analysis of CD4 count trends in South Africa.Southern African journal of HIV medicine · 2024Article
- Field study to determine the reliability of HIV viral load results shows minimal impact of delayed testing in South Africa.African journal of laboratory medicine · 2024Article
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8 authors.
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Abstract
HIV viral load (VL) testing plays a key role in the clinical management of HIV as a marker of adherence and antiretroviral efficacy. To date, national and international antiretroviral treatment recommendations have evolved to endorse routine VL testing. South Africa (SA) has recommended routine VL testing since 2004. Progressively, the centralised HIV VL program managed by its National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) has undergone expansive growth. Retrospective de-identified VL data from 2013 to 2022 were evaluated to review program performance. Test volumes increased from 1,961,720 performed in 2013 to 45,334,864 in 2022. The median total in-laboratory turnaround time (TAT) ranged from 94 h (2015) to 51 h (2022). Implementation of two new assays improved median TATs in all laboratories. Samples of VL greater than 1000 copies/mL declined steadily. Despite initial increases, samples of fewer than 50 copies/mL stagnated at about 70% from 2019 and declined to 68% in 2022. Some variations between assays were observed. Overall, the SA VL program is successful. The scale of the VL program, the largest of its kind in the world by some margin, provides lessons for future public health programs dependent on laboratories for patient outcome and program performance monitoring.
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