Abstract

Background

Human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance (HIVDR) can negatively impact the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of pretreatment HIVDR (PDR) among ART initiators and the prevalence of viral load (VL) suppression and acquired HIVDR among individuals receiving ART for 12 ± 3 months (ADR12) and ≥48 months (ADR48) in El Salvador.

Methods

Nationally representative cross-sectional PDR, ADR12 and ADR48 surveys were conducted among adults with HIV from October 2018 to August 2019, following World Health Organization-recommended methods. Demographic and clinic data and blood specimens were collected.

Results

Two hundred sixty participants were enrolled in the PDR survey, 230 in ADR12 and 425 in ADR48. Twenty-seven percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.1%–39.9%) of ART initiators had PDR to efavirenz or nevirapine. The prevalence of VL suppression was 88.8% (95% CI, 83.1%–92.8%) in ADR12 and 80.5% (95% CI, 76.6%–84.0%) in ADR48 surveys. Among people with HIV receiving a first-line nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based ART regimens and with unsuppressed VL, the prevalence of ADR to efavirenz or nevirapine was 72.0% (95% CI, 32.3%–93.3%) and 95.0% (68.5%–99.4%) in the ADR12 and ADR28 surveys, respectively. ADR12 to boosted protease inhibitors (PI/r) or integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) was not observed. ADR48 was 1.3% (95% CI, 0.2%–9.6%) and 2.1% (0.3%–13.7%), respectively.

Conclusions

Programmatic improvements in ART delivery are urgently needed in El Salvador to address the high levels of resistance to efavirenz or nevirapine among ART initiators and the low VL suppression prevalence among individuals on treatment.

Details

Title
High Level of Pretreatment and Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Virus Drug Resistance in El Salvador: A Nationally Representative Survey, 2018–2019
Author
Girón-Callejas, Amalia 1 ; García-Morales, Claudia 2 ; Mendizabal-Burastero, Ricardo 1 ; Quezada, Alma 3 ; Ruiz, Lisette 3 ; Arguera, Nelly 3 ; Sorto, Salvador 3 ; Nieto, Ana I 3 ; Tapia-Trejo, Daniela 2 ; López-Sánchez, Dulce M 2 ; Pérez-García, Marissa 2 ; Cruz, Luis 4 ; Andino, Raúl 4 ; Sajquim, Edgar 1 ; Juárez, Sandra I 5 ; Farach, Nasim 5 ; Ravasi, Giovanni 6 ; Sanny Northbrook 5 ; Reyes-Terán, Gustavo 7 ; Ávila-Ríos, Santiago 2 

 Centro de Estudios en Salud, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala , Guatemala City , Guatemala 
 Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases , Mexico City , Mexico 
 Ministerio de Salud de El Salvador , San Salvador , El Salvador 
 Centro de Estudios en Salud, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala , San Salvador , El Salvador 
 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Central American Region , Guatemala City , Guatemala 
 Pan-American Health Organization , Washington, District of Columbia , USA 
 Coordinating Commission of the Mexican National Institutes of Health , Mexico City , Mexico 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
Nov 2022
Publisher
Oxford University Press
e-ISSN
23288957
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3171169211
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. This work is published under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.