"Public Health Impact of Viral Load Monitoring among People Living with HIV on Anti-Retroviral Therapy: A Review of Available Literature"

Abstract

Background: Viral load testing is the gold standard for HIV treatment monitoring, periodic viral load tests are the most accurate way of determining whether antiretroviral treatment is working to suppress the replication of HIV. The achievement of viral suppression among persons living with HIV has a lot of benefits to the individual, community, and entire population level. Therefore, the review is aimed at summarizing and documenting the public health impact of viral load monitoring among PLHIV initiated on anti-retroviral therapy. Methods: A literature search was conducted for relevant articles, reports, and HIV treatment guidelines on viral load suppression among PLHIV. Electronic databases [Medline and PubMed], National, WHO and US-CDC HIV treatment guidelines were searched to identify relevant literature published in English. All identified articles and reports on viral load monitoring and treatment outcomes among PLHIV on ART were reviewed. Results: The search strategy identified three [3] WHO, five [5] UNAIDS, one [1] National and two [2] HIV treatment program reports. Furthermore, thirty-nine [39] peer reviewed articles were identified and summarized. Conclusion:Viral load monitoring helps keep PLHIV in good health, prolonging, improving their quality life and reduces HIV related morbidity and mortality. It aids in early detection of antiretroviral treatment failure enabling clinicians in the management of HIV/AIDS. Viral load monitoring is the bed rock for global epidemic control as achieving undetectable viral load reduces or eliminates the risk of HIV transmission [undetectable equal untransmittable U = U], reduces the risk of HIV mother to child transmission, information from viral load monitoring could be used for surveillance purpose, as well as help in directing and improving HIV/AIDS programs interventions outcome.