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Adult Antiretroviral Guidelines US DHHS Guidelines with Australian Commentary Last updated: April 2025 The Australian ARV Guideline Committee acknowledges the updated U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIV Guidelines (September 2025). Updates to the Australian ARV Guideline Commentary are currently on hold, pending a major update planned for late 2026. Feedback or questions can […]
What’s New in the Guidelines?
What’s New in the Adult ARV Guidelines DHHS Last Updated: September 2024Australian Commentary Last Updated: April 2025 When do updates occur? Major new guideline updates from US DHHS usually occur after the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), while smaller updates can occur throughout the year if important new evidence is presented. April 2025: In […]
Introduction
Adult Antiretroviral Guidelines US DHHS Guidelines with Australian Commentary Last Updated 2024 Introduction: Australian Commentary on the US DHHS Guidelines for the use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV In February 2005, the Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Committee on HIV and STI endorsed the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) […]
Baseline Evaluation
DHHS Last Updated: September 2022 Australian Commentary Last Updated: July 2023 AU Comment: Australian resource on primary care guidance for PHIV Australian clinicians can refer to the ASHM HIV Management Guidelines for primary care guidance for people with HIV. AU Comment: Other tests to perform STI testing for people with HIV in Australia should be consistent with the Australian STI […]
Tests for Initial Assessment and Follow-Up
DHHS Last Updated: September 2022 Australian Commentary Last Updated: July 2023 AU Comment: IGRA testing Interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs), such as the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay, detect circulating T cells reactive with antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). The tuberculin skin test (TST) also detects M. tuberculosis-reactive T cells but T cells reactive with antigens of BCG […]
Plasma HIV-1 RNA (Viral Load) and CD4 Count Monitoring
DHHS Last Updated: September 2022 Australian Commentary Last Updated: July 2023 AU Comment: Plasma HIV-1 RNA (Viral Load) and CD4 Count Monitoring Plasma HIV-1 RNA (Viral Load) and CD4 Count Monitoring: Current DHHS guidelines are suitable for implementation in Australia, noting the following principles: Viral load testing Viral load is the most important indicator of initial and sustained […]
Drug-Resistance Testing
DHHS Last Updated: September 2024 Australian Commentary Last Updated: December 2024 AU Comment: Drug-Resistance testing in Australia DHHS recommendations are suitable for HIV drug resistance testing in Australia, including: Routine baseline HIV-1 genotyping prior to treatment and in the context of virological failure, including integrase gene sequencing. This is increasingly relevant given the use of INSTI- based […]
Co-receptor Tropism Assays
DHHS Last Updated: October 2018 Australian Commentary Last Updated: July 2023 AU Comment: Co-receptor Tropism Assays DHHS recommendations are suitable for implementation in Australia, noting that CCR5 tropism testing is only relevant when considering the use of Maraviroc treatment (in which case it is required) or when assessing virological failure involving Maraviroc therapy. In Australia, […]
HLA-B* 5701 Screening
DHHS Last Updated: December 2007 Australian Commentary Last Updated: July 2023 AU Comment: HLA-B*5701 screening: DHHS recommendations are suitable for implementation in Australia, including: Screening for HLA-B*5701 before starting patients on an abacavir (ABC)-containing regimen to reduce the risk of hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) (AI). Avoidance of ABC- in HLA-B*5701-positive patients and documentation of HLA-B*5701-positive status as […]
Laboratory Testing
This section has information on What to Start. Please click on the below links or follow the table of contents to access the information you are looking for. Tests for Initial Assessment and Follow-Up Plasma HIV-1 RNA (Viral Load) and CD4 Count Monitoring Drug-Resistance Testing Co-receptor Tropism Assays HLA-B* 5701 Screening