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Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission risk. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate ART uptake in a trial in Zambia and South Africa that implemented a community-wide universal testing and treatment package to reduce HIV incidence. Methods Study communities were randomized to 3 arms: A, combination-prevention intervention with universal ART; B, combination-prevention intervention with ART according to local guidelines; and C, standard of care. Samples were collected from people with HIV (PWH) during a survey visit conducted 2 years after study implementation: these samples were tested for 22 antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Antiretroviral therapy uptake was defined as detection of ≥1 ARV drug. Resistance was evaluated in 612 randomly selected viremic participants. A 2-stage, cluster-based approach was used to assess the impact of the study intervention on ART uptake. Results Antiretroviral drugs were detected in 4419 of 6207 (71%) samples (Arm A, 73%; Arm B, 70%; Arm C, 60%); 4140 (94%) of samples with ARV drugs had viral loads <400 copies/mL. Drug resistance was observed in 237 of 612 (39%) viremic participants (95 of 102 [93%] with ARV drugs; 142 of 510 [28%] without drugs). Antiretroviral therapy uptake was associated with older age, female sex, enrollment year, seroconverter status, and self-reported ART (all P <.001). The adjusted risk ratio for ART uptake was similar for Arm A versus C (1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI],.94–1.54; P =.12) and Arm B versus C (1.14; 95% CI,.89–1.46; P =.26). Conclusions At the 2-year survey, 71% of PWH were on ART and 94% of those participants were virally suppressed. Universal testing and treatment was not significantly associated with increased ART uptake in this cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: WHO recommends antiretroviral treatment (ART) for all HIV-positive individuals. This study evaluated the association between baseline CD4 count and attrition in a cohort of HIV positive adults initiating ART at three department of health (DOH) clinics routinely providing ART at baseline CD4 counts >500cells/μL for the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial. Methods: All clients attending the DOH clinics were managed according to standard care guidelines with the exception that those starting ART outside of pertinent local guidelines signed research informed consent. DOH data on all HIV-positive adult clients recorded as having initiated ART between January 2014 and November 2015 at the three study clinics was analysed. Attrition, included clients lost to follow up or died, and was defined as ‘being three or more months late for an antiretroviral pharmacy pick-up appointment’. All clients were followed until attrition, transfer out or end May 2016. Results: A total of 2423 clients with a median baseline CD4 count of 328 cells/μL (IQR 195–468) were included of whom 631 (26.0%) experienced attrition and 140 (5.8%) were TFO. Attrition was highest during the first six months of ART (IR 38.3/100 PY; 95% CI 34.8–42.1). Higher attrition was found amongst those with baseline CD4 counts > 500 cells/μL compared to those with baseline CD4 counts of 0–500 cells/μL (aHR 1.26, 95%CI 1.05 to 1.52) This finding was confirmed on subset analyses when restricted to individuals non-pregnant at baseline and when restricted to individuals with follow up of > 12months. Conclusions: Attrition in this study was high, particularly during the first six months of treatment. Attrition was highest amongst clients starting ART at baseline CD4 counts > 500 cells/μL. Strategies to improve retention amongst ART clients, particularly those starting ART at baseline CD4 counts >500cells/μL, need strengthening. Improved monitoring of clients moving in and out of ART care and between clinics will assist in better understanding attrition and ART coverage in high burden countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets require that, by 2020, 90% of those living with HIV know their status, 90% of known HIV-positive individuals receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 90% of individuals on ART have durable viral suppression. The HPTN 071 (PopART) trial is measuring the impact of a universal testing and treatment intervention on population-level HIV incidence in 21 urban communities in Zambia and South Africa. We report observational data from four communities in Zambia to assess progress towards the UNAIDS targets after 1 y of the PopART intervention.Methods and Findings: The PopART intervention comprises annual rounds of home-based HIV testing delivered by community HIV-care providers (CHiPs) who also support linkage to care, ART retention, and other services. Data from four communities in Zambia receiving the full intervention (including immediate ART for all individuals with HIV) were used to determine proportions of participants who knew their HIV status after the CHiP visit; proportions linking to care and initiating ART following referral; and overall proportions of HIV-infected individuals who knew their status (first 90 target) and the proportion of these on ART (second 90 target), pre- and post-intervention. We are not able to assess progress towards the third 90 target at this stage of the study. Overall, 121,130 adults (59,283 men and 61,847 women) were enumerated in 46,714 households during the first annual round (December 2013 to June 2015). Of the 45,399 (77%) men and 55,703 (90%) women consenting to the intervention, 80% of men and 85% of women knew their HIV status after the CHiP visit. Of 6,197 HIV-positive adults referred by CHiPs, 42% (95% CI: 40%-43%) initiated ART within 6 mo and 53% (95% CI: 52%-55%) within 12 mo. In the entire population, the estimated proportion of HIV-positive adults who knew their status increased from 52% to 78% for men and from 56% to 87% for women. The estimated proportion of known HIV-positive individuals on ART increased overall from 54% after the CHiP visit to 74% by the end of the round for men and from 53% to 73% for women. The estimated overall proportion of HIV-positive adults on ART, irrespective of whether they knew their status, increased from 44% to 61%, compared with the 81% target (the product of the first two 90 targets). Coverage was lower among young men and women than in older age groups. The main limitation of the study was the need for assumptions concerning knowledge of HIV status and ART coverage among adults not consenting to the intervention or HIV testing, although our conclusions were robust in sensitivity analyses.Conclusions: In this analysis, acceptance of HIV testing among those consenting to the intervention was high, although linkage to care and ART initiation took longer than expected. Knowledge of HIV-positive status increased steeply after 1 y, almost attaining the first 90 target in women and approaching it in men. The second 90 target was more challenging, with approximately three-quarters of known HIV-positive individuals on ART by the end of the annual round. Achieving higher test uptake in men and more rapid linkage to care will be key objectives during the second annual round of the intervention.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01900977. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]