The performance of using dried blood spot specimens for HIV-1 viral load testing: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Accurate routine HIV viral load testing is essential for assessing the efficacy of antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens and the emergence of drug resistance. While the use of plasma specimens is the standard for viral load testing, its use is restricted by the limited ambient temperature stability of viral load biomarkers in whole blood and plasma during storage and transportation and the limited cold chain available between many health care facilities in resource-limited settings. Alternative specimen types and technologies, such as dried blood spots, may address these issues and increase access to viral load testing; however, their technical performance is unclear. To address this, we conducted a meta-analysis comparing viral load results from paired dried blood spo

SUBMITTER: Vojnov L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9447868 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature