HIV resistance testing: a new clinical tool

Drug resistance threatens to erase the recent gains made in treating HIV infection. HIV resistance testing offers clinicians the ability to screen patients for resistant strains and adjust treatment accordingly. Resistance testing is recommended for patients on antiretroviral agents with virologic failure or with suboptimal suppression of viral load after initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Because of the potential transmission of resistant strains, testing should be considered for patients with acute infection. Although the care of many AIDS patients is complex and should be managed by a physician with experience and expertise in HIV disease, all practitioners should be familiar with the types of testing available and their limitations.