Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy following in utero HIV infection is associated with low viral reservoirs but other factors determine subsequent plasma viral rebound.
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Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy following in utero HIV infection is associated with low viral reservoirs but other factors determine subsequent plasma viral rebound.
Background: Early HIV diagnosis allows combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) initiation in the first days of life following in utero (IU) infection. The impact of early cART initiation on infant viral reservoir size in the setting of high-frequency cART non-adherence is unknown.
Methods: Peripheral blood total HIV DNA from 164 early treated (day 0-21 of life) IU HIV-infected South African infants was measured using droplet digital PCR at birth and following suppressive cART. We evaluated the impact of cART initiation timing on HIV reservoir size and decay, and on the risk of subsequent plasma viraemia in cART-suppressed infants.