Epidemiology of HIV drug resistance in low- and middle-income countries and WHO global strategy to monitor its emergence

Abstract

Purpose of review: This review summarises the latest information of the epidemiology of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in low- and middle-income countries and the updated WHO global strategy for HIVDR surveillance and monitoring.

Recent findings: Finding from recent national-representative surveys show a rise in pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) to reverse transcriptase inhibitors and especially to the class of nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Levels of PDR are especially high in infants <18 months and adults reporting prior exposure to antiretrovirals. Although viral suppression rates are generally high and increasing among adults on antiretroviral therapy, those with unsuppressed viremia have high levels of acquired drug resistance (ADR). Programmatic data on HIVDR to integrase-transfer-inhibitor resistance is scarce, highlighting the need to increase integrase-inhibitors resistance surveillance. As the landscape of HIV prevention, treatment and monitoring evolves, WHO has also adapted its strategy to effectively support countries in preventing and monitoring the emergence of HIVDR. This includes new survey methods for monitoring resistance emerging from patients diagnosed with HIV while on preexposure prophylaxis, and a laboratory-based ADR survey leveraging on remnant viral load specimens which are expected to strengthen dolutegravir-resistance surveillance.

Summary: Monitoring HIVDR remains pivotal to ensure countries attain and sustain the global goals for ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030.