Beyond first-line HIV treatment regimens: the current state of antiretroviral regimens, viral load monitoring, and resistance testing in resource-limited settings.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

With the availability of antiretroviral drugs in resource-limited settings, there is a rapid scale-up of antiretroviral therapy in developing countries.

RECENT FINDINGS

The review focuses on the issues faced while patients are on first-line antiretroviral therapy in the absence of viral load monitoring, and the availability and progress of the second-line antiretroviral drugs and the salvage regimens in resource-limited settings.

SUMMARY

There is an urgent need for low-cost, low-tech viral load monitoring in resource-limited settings. Fixed-dose combination of antiretrovirals for first-line and second-line therapy will result in better effectiveness. There is a need for newer antiretroviral drugs in resource-limited settings.