The development of HIV-1 genotypic drug resistance testing for a low-cost alternative

Abstract

Since Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) becomes the most active way to control HIV replication, genotypic drug resistance testing has played an important role for HIV medication. Commercial test kits have been invented and developed continuously. However, all of those commercial kits are especially designed for HIV-1 subtype B which is the major strain of Europe and America continent. In each year, Thailand National Health Control expenses massively in HIV-infected individuals. To reduce cost of expenditure, we developed methods for genotyping drug resistance testing. In-house genotypic drug resistance assay was designed and developed for HIV-1 non-B subtype assay. 99 plasma HIV-infected samples were performed by in-house method and compared with commercial kits. There was no statistically different in antiretroviral resistance result comparison between commercial kit assay and in-house assay (p>0.05). This should be an alternative method for HIV drug resistance testing in resource-limited country.