TEST NAME
– HIV Drug Resistance Genotyping
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ABOUT TEST
– HIV genotypic antiretroviral resistance testing is used to help select a drug regimen that will likely be effective in treating a person with an HIV infection. The test is used to determine whether the HIV strain infecting an individual is resistant or has developed resistance to one or more drugs used to treat HIV. Testing analyzes the genes of the virus to detect the presence of one or more mutations that are associated with antiretroviral drug (ART) resistance.
ART is intended to suppress the amount of virus (viral load) in order to decrease the risk of the disease progression and to minimize viral replication and mutation. However, a person may be initially infected with a drug-resistant HIV strain or drug resistance may develop during treatment, causing ART to be ineffective in suppressing the virus.
When a person is first diagnosed, HIV drug resistance testing is used to determine whether the HIV strain is already resistant to one or more drugs. The information is used to identify and select the antiretroviral drugs that will likely be effective.
Testing may also be used after a person begins treatment to help determine the cause of drug treatment failure. Treatment failure is identified when a person’s viral load does not decrease or begins to increase despite treatment. In this case, the person’s treatment will likely be changed. Results of antiretroviral resistance testing may help select a different drug regimen that may be effective in suppressing the virus.
Testing is used to identify resistance to antiretroviral drugs in classes such as:
Protease inhibitors
Reverse transcriptase inhibitors
Integrase inhibitors
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GENES TESTED
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SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS
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TAT
– 17
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Related Tests
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