HIV: mode of transmission
via specific body fluids
Blood, semen, genital fluids, breast milk
HIV: Risk factors
(who to conduct testing for)
IV drug users
Person who have unprotected sex with multiple partners
Man who have sex with man
Commercial sex workers
Persons treated for STDs ⇒ increased risk of HIV
Recipients of multiple blood transfusion
Persons who have been sexually assaulted
Pregnant women
HIV: clinical presentation
(1) acute (primary) infection
Occurs soon after contracting HIV
Flu-like illness: swollen lymph nodes, fever, malaise & rash ⇒ lasts 2-3 weeks
HIV: clinical presentation
(2) asymptomatic
No signs & symptoms
Persists for many years
HIV: clinical presentation
(3) persistent generalised lymphadenopathy
Persistent unexplained lymph node enlargement in neck, underarms & groin
More than 3 months of symptoms
HIV: clinical presentation
(4) AIDS & related conditions
diagnostic criteria & symptoms (organs involved & systemic s)
Requirements for AIDS diagnosis:
* AIDS = CD4 <200 cells /mm3 or presence of AIDS-defining diseases
Healthy individuals: CD4 500-1200 cells /mm3
* Immune system too weak to fight against invading virus & bacteria
* Person succumb to Opportunistic infections
Organs involved: lung, eyes, GIT, nervous system & skin
Systemic symptoms: fevers, unexplained weight loss, diarrhoea
Rare cancers
Goals of anti-retroviral therapy
Surrogate markers of HIV
Surrogate markers of HIV: CD4 count
what it indicates
Normal individuals: 500-1200 cells/ mm3
Indicator of immune function
strongest predictor of subsequent disease progression + survival
Surrogate markers of HIV: CD4 count
purpose
To determine urgency for initiating antiretroviral therapy
* Note: current → to start treatment when patient is infected with virus to prevent CD4 cell count from decreasing
* Late start to treatment = unlikely recovery of CD4 cell count to normal levels
To assess response to antiretroviral therapy (compare with initial diagnosis)
(1) assessed at baseline, (2) every 3 to 6 months after treatment initiation & (3) every 12 months after adequate response
To assess need for initiating/ discontinuing prophylaxis for opportunistic infections
Surrogate markers of HIV: CD4 count
effective treatment definition
increase in CD4 count in the range of 50 to 150 cells/mm3 during the first year of therapy
Surrogate markers of HIV: Viral load
indication
Amount of virus in plasma
Most important indicator of response to antiretroviral therapy
Help with predicting clinical progression
Surrogate markers of HIV: Viral load
Assessment timeline
Surrogate markers of HIV: Viral load
effects of treatment
achieve viral suppression by 8-24 weeks
* No longer have detectable HIV RNA levels
earlier ART initiation
indication & requirements
For all HIV-patients regardless of CD4 cell count
adherence: Require at least 95%, if not have risk of resistance
earlier ART initiation: benefits
earlier ART initiation: limitations
Recommended combinations (patients naive to ART)
2 NRTIs + 1 INSTI [First line]
1 NRTIs + 1 INSTI
Recommended combinations: 1 NRTI & 1 INSTI requirements
ART drug classes
(1) NRTI: drugs
lamvudine
abacavir
zidovudine
emtricitabine
tenofovir
(1) NRTI: Advantages
Established in combination ART
Renal elimination → fewer DDI
(1) NRTI: disadvantages
AE related to mitochondrial toxicity → rare but serious
* Lactic acidosis & hepatic steatosis (fatty infiltration)
* Morphologic complication ⇒ Lipoatrophy (lost of fat)
* Zidovudine>Tenofovir=Abacavir=Lamivudine
Requires dose adjustment in renally impaired patients (except abacavir)
(1) NRTI: Adverse effects
lamvudine, tenofovir, emtricitabine
lamvudine
Minimal toxicity; N/V/D
tenofovir
Minimal toxicity; hyperpigmentation, N/D
emtricitabine
* N/V/D
* Possible renal impairment
* Decrease in bone mineral density ⇒ increased risk of osteoporosis & osteopenia