Early diagnosis and retention in care of HIV-infected patients through rapid salivary testing: a test-and-treat fast track pilot study

New Microbiol. 2016 Jan;39(1):57-60.

Abstract

Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the retention-in-care of individuals diagnosed during six years of salivary HIV testing (EASY-test project). Among those linked-to-care at the Infectious Diseases Department of San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy), the proportion of patients engaged, retained in care and virologically suppressed after the antiretroviral treatment was 96%, 100% and 95.2%, respectively. Results from our study suggest that salivary HIV testing may help bring to light cases of HIV infection otherwise undiagnosed, and thus favour a more rapid and wider reduction of the HIV infection burden at the population level.

Keywords: HAART; HIV; HIV salivary testing; HIV virological suppression; Retention in care.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Algorithms*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification
  • Homosexuality, Male
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pilot Projects
  • Saliva / virology
  • Time Factors