Advances in HIV Diagnostics: From Rapid Tests to NGS for Ending the Epidemic
This review surveys the diagnostic landscape for HIV in the context of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, covering rapid diagnostic tests, fourth-generation antigen/antibody assays, and emerging NGS-based methods for resistance profiling and molecular epidemiology. The authors highlight new diagnostic challenges posed by pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis, which can alter serological testing performance. The integration of next-generation sequencing into HIV surveillance and resistance testing represents a significant advancement for public health laboratories.
The original study
Towards achieving the end of the HIV epidemic: Advances, challenges and scaling-up strategies.
- Authors
- Balogun K, Slev PR
- Journal
- Clinical biochemistry
- Type
- Review, Journal Article
- PMID
- 35640680
Original abstract
We are entering the 5th decade of the HIV epidemic and although there is no cure, critical advances have been made in treatment, prevention and diagnostics, transforming HIV into a survivable disease. Due to these advances, the UNAIDS has set a goal of "90-90-90" target by 2020, which has been extended now to 2030, to have 90% of individuals infected with HIV diagnosed, 90% of those diagnosed linked to care and 90% of people receiving ART and 90% of those receiving ART achieving an undetectable viral load. Today, the focus is on U = U, "undetectable equals untransmittable", which takes advantage of improved diagnostics and treatment and preventive therapies that are combined with scale-up strategies. This article will review the advances in testing strategies and diagnostics, including rapid diagnostic tests and next generation sequencing, as well as the challenges that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) now present for diagnosing and managing HIV infection.