The role of HIV viral suppression in improving individual health and reducing transmission
This policy brief describes key HIV viral load thresholds and the available viral load testing approaches for monitoring how well antiretroviral therapy is working for people living with HIV.
Key messages include:
- HIV viral suppression is critical to improve health, prevent sexual transmission, and reduce perinatal transmission.
- There are three key categories for HIV viral load measurements: unsuppressed (>1000 copies/mL), suppressed (detected but ≤1000 copies/mL) and undetectable (viral load not detected by test used).
- People living with HIV who have an undetectable viral load using any WHO-prequalified combination of sample and testing platform, including dried blood spot samples, and continue taking medication as prescribed have zero risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partner(s).
- People living with HIV who have a suppressed but detectable viral load and are taking medication as prescribed have almost zero or negligible risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partner(s).
High rates of forward transmission events after acute/early HIV-1 infection
Uses a population-based phylogenetic approach to characterize HIV transmission dynamics in Quebec. Found early infection accounts for approximately half of onward transmissions. Suggests therapy at early stages of disease may prevent onward HIV transmission.
The Public Health Implications of Criminalizing HIV Non-Disclosure, Exposure and Transmission: Report of an International Workshop
Explores key themes from the first international meeting focused on strengthening new empirical research on criminalization. Offers suggestions for future research on the public health implications of criminalizing HIV non-disclosure, exposure and transmission.
Developing guidance for HIV prosecutions: an example of harm reduction?
Describes both the process and the outcome of community lobbying the Crown Prosecution Service to develop guidance for prosecutors on HIV cases, and whether this intervention has benefited people living with HIV.