Pooled HIV-1 Viral Load Testing Using Dried Blood Spots to Reduce the Cost of Monitoring Antiretroviral Treatment in a Resource-Limited Setting
Date
2013-10
Authors
Pannus, Pieter
Fajardo, Emmanuel
Metcalf, Carol
Coulborn, Rebecca M.
Duran, Laura T.
Bygrave, Helen
Ellman, Tom
Garone, Daniela
Murowa, Michael
Mwenda, Reuben
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Open Access
Abstract
Rollout of routine HIV-1 viral load monitoring is hampered by high costs and logistical difficulties associated with sample collection and transport. New strategies are needed to overcome these constraints. Dried blood spots from finger pricks have been shown to be more practical than the use of plasma specimens, and pooling strategies using plasma specimens have been demonstrated to be an efficient method to reduce costs. This study found that combination of finger-prick dried blood spots and a pooling strategy is a feasible and efficient option to reduce costs, while maintaining accuracy in the context of a district hospital in Malawi.
Description
Please cite as follows:
Pannus, P. et al. 2013. Pooled HIV-1 viral load testing using dried blood spots to reduce the cost of monitoring antiretroviral treatment in a resource-limited setting. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 64(2):134-137, doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182a61e63.
The original publication is available at www.jaids.com
Pannus, P. et al. 2013. Pooled HIV-1 viral load testing using dried blood spots to reduce the cost of monitoring antiretroviral treatment in a resource-limited setting. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 64(2):134-137, doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182a61e63.
The original publication is available at www.jaids.com
Keywords
Antiretroviral treatment -- Cost effectiveness -- Malawi, HIV infections -- Treatment -- Economic aspects -- Malawi, Pooling strategies -- Cost effectiveness -- Malawi, Plasma specimens, Dried blood spots
Citation
Pannus, P. et al. 2013. Pooled HIV-1 viral load testing using dried blood spots to reduce the cost of monitoring antiretroviral treatment in a resource-limited setting. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 64(2):134-137, doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182a61e63.