Clinical and Biological Profile of Newly Diagnosed HIV-Positive Adults in the Era of Test and Treat and UNAIDS' 95-95-95 Targets in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Introduction: Since its discovery in 1983, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has remained a major public health problem worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, despite the "Test and Treat" strategy to achieve the 95-95-95 targets set by UNAIDS. Objective: The present study determines the profile of newly diagnosed HIV patients in the era of Test and Treat in the context of Burkina Faso. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on the records of adults who tested positive for HIV between January 1 and December 31, 2023, at the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital Center. Results: A total of 204 PLHIV records were collected. The average age was 41.18 ± 1.86 years, with a predominance of women and a sex ratio of 0.82. The majority were married (57.8%). The main non-HIV-related comorbidities were high blood pressure and diabetes, while HIV-related comorbidities were dominated by tuberculosis, prurigo, and shingles. HIV-1 accounted for 89.2% of cases. Voluntary screening (51.9%) and suspicion (31.9%) were the most common circumstances of discovery. Although WHO clinical stage 1 predominated (60.8%), advanced immunosuppression was observed in 9.3% at diagnosis. The average time to initiation of antiretroviral therapy was 11.18±4.74 days, and 91.7% of patients received the TDF/3TC/DTG protocol. After one year of follow-up, virological suppression was achieved in 94.3% of patients, but 30.9% of patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusion: The profile of newly diagnosed HIV patients is characterized by a predominance of married, middle-aged individuals, late diagnosis, a short delay in starting antiretroviral therapy, and a high rate of loss to follow-up, thus compromising the achievement of the 95-95-95 targets. However, these results should be interpreted with caution given the retrospective, single-center nature of the study and the limited sample size and sub-populations.