Clinical versus Rapid Molecular HIV Diagnosis in Hospitalized African Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial Simulating Point-of-Care Infant Testing

摘要

ObjectiveMany African infants fail to receive their diagnostic HIV molecular test results and subsequently, antiretroviral therapy (ART). To determine whether a point-of-care molecular HIV test increases ART access for hospitalized Malawian infants, we simulated a point-of-care test using rapid HIV RNA polymerase chain reaction (Rapid PCR) and compared patient outcomes to an optimized standard care that included assessment with the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical algorithm for HIV infection plus a DNA PCR with a turnaround time of several weeks (standard care).