Viral load profile in people living with the human immunodeficiency virus followed at the outpatient treatment centre of the Panzi General Reference Hospital: descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction : HIV infection remains a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa, where in some countries access to viral load monitoring is a challenge in the management of HIV. The aim of this study was to determine the viral load profile of patients followed up at the Panzi RGH 1 year after the introduction of ART.

Material and method : A retrospective, descriptive, analytical study of 133 PLHIV patients followed at the CTA of Panzi RGH from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020.

Results : Low viral load was found in 35.34% of patients, medium in 24.06% and high in 40.60%. High viral load was associated with age 30-50 years and over 50 years (45.07 and 40.91%; p=0.1075); female sex (42.86; p=0.6746) and marital status (divorced and widowed) (66.67 and 63.64%; p=0.0128). High viral load was associated with clinical stage IV and III (100% and 84.62% respectively), hypertension (57.14%; p=0.03571), pulmonary tuberculosis (71.74%; p=0.0000), and herpes zoster (76.19%; p=0.0021). A total of 66.22% had anaemia. Leukopenia was observed in 40.64% and hyperleukocytosis in 4.05%. Thrombocytosis was observed in 6.76% of patients and thrombocytosis in 1.35%.

Conclusion : Viral load is a good means of monitoring HIV and should be done systematically before starting ARV treatment for good patient follow-up. The majority of our patients had poor infection control with a high viral load.