Using next generation sequencing, Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) scientists sequenced the HIV genome of more than 1300 ART naïve, HIV positive participants. Deep sequencing allows scientists to detect mutations down to 2% of the viral population, giving a more detailed perspective than the gold standard for drug resistance testing, called 'Sanger Sequencing'.

Their results show around 17% of the participants were infected with a resistant strain of HIV. This figure is consistent with ART roll-out for more than a decade in South Africa. However, the study findings show that these resistances didn't necessarily affect treatment outcomes. 95% of participants on treatment successfully suppressed the virus. This is higher than the UNAIDS target of 90%.

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  • Blood Spot Testing (Credit: Ben Gilbert, Wellcome; Samora Chapman; Greg Lomas)