Measures of Viral Load using Abbott Real-Time HIV-1 Assay on Venous and Fingerstick Dried Blood Spots from Provider-Collected Specimens in Malawian District Hospitals

摘要

BackgroundViral suppression is a key indicator of antiretroviral therapy (ART) response among HIV-infected patients. Dried blood spots (DBS) are an appealing alternative to conventional plasma-based virologic testing, improving access to monitoring in resource-limited settings. However, validity of DBS obtained from fingerstick in field settings remains unknown.