Challenges in the current HIV pandemic and how to face them.
© María Ferreira
PEDIATRIC AIDS
There are 2 million infected children, and 99,000 deaths occur each year. Most children get infected during childbirth, or while breastfeeding, and without treatment, half of them will die before turning two. Every day, around 500 new infections occur, mainly in resource-limited countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Most infected children are born in resource-limited countries. DTM (Early Diagnosis, Therapy, Clinical Monitoring) is unattainable for all of them. Diagnosis and monitoring require molecular techniques, which are complex and expensive. The blood volumes needed for tests cannot always be extracted from newborns or malnourished children. A low blood volume limits the success and reliability of molecular diagnostic and monitoring techniques.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A SOLUTION...
DTM
THE FORMULA TO ACHIEVE CHILD SURVIVAL
EARLY DIAGNOSIS
THROUGH MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES IN THE FIRST WEEKS OF LIFE
TREATMENT
OPTIMAL ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
CLINICAL MONITORING
TO MONITOR TREATMENT RESPONSE AND DRUG-RESISTANT VIRUSES
THERE ARE NEW SAMPLING METHODS THAT USE VERY LITTLE BLOOD VOLUMES (DBS, DRIED BLOOD SPOTS)
Easy to collect, transport, and store, they are less infectious, do not require a cold chain, and their use is promoted by the WHO in resource-limited countries.
WITH ONLY TWO DROPS OF DRIED BLOOD
- We diagnose whether the children have been infected using genetic and serological techniques.
- We identify HIV variants and the amount of virus in the blood (viral load).
- We determine if the viruses infecting them are resistant to antiretroviral drugs and which ones, to be able to change the child's treatment if necessary.
- We study the virus's evolution and detect other infections.
Together, EpimolVIH Laboratory and you, are going to optimize these techniques, contributing to the survival and enhanced quality of life for numerous children.
