High rate of HIV resuppression after viral failure on first-line antiretroviral therapy in the absence of switch to second-line therapy.

Ravindra K Gupta ; Ruth L Goodall ; Michael Ranopa ; Cissy Kityo ; Paula Munderi ; Fred Lyagoba ; Lincoln Mugarura ; Charles F Gilks ; Pontiano Kaleebu

; Deenan Pillay ; +1 more... DART Virology Group and Trial Team ; (2013) High rate of HIV resuppression after viral failure on first-line antiretroviral therapy in the absence of switch to second-line therapy. Clinical infectious diseases, 58 (7). pp. 1023-1026. ISSN 1058-4838 DOI: 10.1093/cid/cit933

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In a randomized comparison of nevirapine or abacavir with zidovudine plus lamivudine, routine viral load monitoring was not performed, yet 27% of individuals with viral failure at week 48 experienced resuppression by week 96 without switching. This supports World Health Organization recommendations that suspected viral failure should trigger adherence counseling and repeat measurement before a treatment switch is considered.