When to switch for antiretroviral treatment failure in resource-limited settings?

Abstract

Thanks to the leadership of the World Health Organisation (WHO) [1], and massive financial support from programmes such as the Global Fund and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the number of HIV-infected individuals accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-limited settings has tripled from 2001 to 2005. An estimated 1.3 million HIV-infected individuals were on ART in 2005, representing 20% of those in need of treatment [2].