AU Comment: Timing of ART commencement in OIs Data on when to commence ART in HIV patients with an opportunistic infection (OI) are mostly derived from studies undertaken in resource-limited countries where medical care and patient follow-up may be different to Australia. In general, ART should be commenced within 2 weeks of commencing treatment for …
This section has information on Special Patient Populations. Please click on the below links or follow the table of contents to access the information you are looking for. Women with HIV Substance Use Disorders and HIV HIV-2 Infection Early (Acute and Recent) HIV Infection Transgender People with HIV HIV and the Older Person Adolescents and …
AU Comment: Diagnosis of early HIV infection in Australia When acute HIV-1 infection is suspected, and an anti-HIV antibody and/or antibody/antigen combo test is negative or the western blot is indeterminate, other suitable test options include a nucleic acid test for HIV. However, proviral DNA tests are not widely available in Australia and HIV viral …
AU Comment: Adolescents and young adults with HIV in Australia In 2021, 4/745 (0.5%) of all new HIV notifications in Australia were among individuals aged 19 years or younger, with the majority (3/4) of these notifications among those aged 15-19 years. Reference: King J, McManus H, Kwon A, Gray A, McGregor S. HIV, viral hepatitis …
AU Comment: HIV-2 Infection in Australia HIV-2 is uncommon in Australia. Diagnosis of HIV-2 in Australia can be difficult because of the cross-reaction of serological tests with HIV-1 proteins. St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, and the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) offers an HIV-2 western blot confirming HIV-2 infection by reactivity to specific HIV-2 glycoproteins. …
AU Comment: Australian Cardiovascular risk calculator An HIV-specific cardiovascular risk calculator has been developed based on data from the D:A:D study (including the use of specific antiretroviral agents), but has not been validated in other populations. The Australian Absolute Cardiovascular Disease Risk Calculator is recommended for use to estimate an individual’s 5-year risk of cardiovascular …
Key Considerations and Recommendations Substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent among people with HIV and contribute to poor health outcomes; therefore, screening for SUDs should be a routine part of clinical care (AII). The most commonly used substances among people with HIV include alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, club drugs, opioids, stimulants (cocaine and methamphetamines), and tobacco. Health …
AU Comment: Transgender People with HIV in Australia. The barriers to engaging in care that trans and gender diverse (TGD) people face are universal and result from stigma, structural barriers and previous negative experiences of health care. Although accurate data regarding the number of TGD people in Australia is lacking, a recent analysis identified an …
AU Comment: HPV screening in women with HIV In Australia, the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) guidelines recommend to the general population that cytological screening is replaced with 5 yearly HPV testing, with reflex liquid-based cytology and genotyping for positive samples. HIV-positive women have a higher incidence of cervical cancer and HPV-associated precancerous changes, and …
This section has information on Management of the Treatment-Experienced Patient. Please click on the below links or follow the table of contents to access the information you are looking for. Virologic Failure Optimizing ART in the Setting of Virologic Suppression Poor CD4 Cell Recovery Discontinuation or Interruption of ARV
Developing a sustainable HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Workforce
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