WHO: Updated recommendations on HIV prevention, infant diagnosis, antiretroviral initiation and monitoring

17 Mar 2021

These guidelines provide new and updated recommendations on the use of point-of-care testing in children under 18 months of age and point-of-care tests to monitor treatment in people living with HIV; the treatment monitoring algorithm; and timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV who are being treated for tuberculosis.

WHO is currently in the process of collating all HIV normative guidance developed since 2016 in order to publish the third edition of the consolidated HIV guidelines in July 2021. This updated version will include the new clinical guidance presented here.

These Guidelines were informed by two cochrane reviews:

Point‐of‐care viral load tests to detect high HIV viral load levels in HIV‐positive people on antiretroviral therapy

Point‐of‐care tests detecting HIV nucleic acids for diagnosis of HIV infection in infants and children aged 18 months or less