@article{fdi:010067650,
  title = {{E}arly infant {HIV} diagnosis and entry to {HIV} care cascade in {T}hailand : an observational study},
  author = {{S}irirungsi, {W}. and {K}hamduang, {W}. and {C}ollins, {I}. {J}. and {P}usamang, {A}. and {L}eechanachai, {P}. and {C}haivooth, {S}. and {N}go-{G}iang-{H}uong, {N}icole and {S}amleerat, {T}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {E}arly infant diagnosis of {HIV} is crucial for timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy ({ART}) in infected children who are at high risk of mortality. {E}arly infant diagnosis with dried blood spot testing was provided by the {N}ational {AIDS} {P}rogramme in {T}hailand from 2007. {W}e report {ART} initiation and vital status in children with {HIV} after 7 years of rollout in {T}hailand. {M}ethods {D}ried blood spot samples were collected from {HIV}-exposed children in hospitals in {T}hailand and mailed to the {F}aculty of {A}ssociated {M}edical {S}ciences, {C}hiang {M}ai {U}niversity, where {HIV} {DNA} was assessed with real-time {PCR} to establish {HIV} infection. {W}e linked data from children with an {HIV} infection to the {N}ational {AIDS} {P}rogramme database to ascertain {ART} and vital status. {F}indings {B}etween {A}pril 5, 2007, and {O}ct 1, 2014, 16 046 dried blood spot samples were sent from 8859 children in 364 hospitals in {T}hailand. {M}edian age at first dried blood spot test was 2.1 ({IQR} 1.8-2.5) months. {O}f 7174 (81%) children with two or more samples, 223 (3%) were {HIV} positive (including five unconfirmed). {O}f 1685 (19%) children with one sample, 70 (4%) were unconfirmed positive. {O}f 293 (3%) children who were {HIV} positive, 220 (75%) registered for {HIV} care and 170 (58%) initiated {ART}. {M}edian age at {ART} initiation decreased from 14.2 months ({IQR} 10.2-25.6) in 2007 to 6.1 months (4.2-9.2) in 2013, and the number of children initiating {ART} aged younger than 1 year increased from five (33%) of 15 children initiating {ART} in 2007 to ten (83%) of 12 initiating {ART} in 2013. 15 (9%) of 170 children who initiated {ART} died and 16 (32%) of 50 who had no {ART} record died. {I}nterpretation {E}arly infant diagnosis with dried blood spot testing had high uptake in primary care settings. {F}urther improvement of linkage to {HIV} care is needed to ensure timely treatment of all children with an {HIV} infection.},
  keywords = {{THAILANDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{L}ancet {HIV}},
  volume = {3},
  numero = {6},
  pages = {{E}259--{E}265},
  ISSN = {2352-3018},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1016/s2352-3018(16)00045-x},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010067650},
}