Figure 1.

Study schema and outcomes. A total of 126 HIV-infected ART-naive participants with AIDS-defining illness or a CD4⁺ T lymphocytes <250 cells/μL were enrolled into this observational cohort study to evaluate DS. Forty-four participants (22 women and 22 men) were excluded from the analyses of DS from the genital tract due to LTFU, death, or confirmed virologic failure (plasma HIV RNA ≥3.00 log₁₀ c/mL). Eighty-nine of 126 participants (71%) who initiated first-line nevirapine-based ART completed 18–24 study months, and 82/89 (92%) had their median plasma HIV RNA suppressed to <1.48 log₁₀ c/mL (ART suppressed). During the 2-year study, 24/82 (29%) ART suppressed participants had DS, defined as detectable HIV RNA either in CVL fluid at ≥1.48 log₁₀ c/mL, or in SP ≥2.07 log₁₀ c/mL, or in RS ≥3.18 log₁₀ c/mL. Abbreviations: ART, antiretroviral treatment; c/mL, copies/mL; CVL, cervicovaginal lavage; DS, discordant shedding; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; RS, rectal secretions; LTFU, loss to follow up; SP, seminal plasma.