Interventions
HIV drug resistance, viremia
VIREMIA
During follow-up until the exit visit 24 weeks after enrolment, clinical management was provided by public-sector clinical counsellors, HIV nurses, or clinicians according to the South African Department of Health guidelines, which specify that people with a VL >1000 copies/mL should receive enhanced adherence counselling and a repeat VL after 3 months (Fig. Management of viremia according to South African National Department of Health guidelines. Adapted from South African National Department of Health, 2019 ART Clinical Guidelines for the Management of HIV in Adults, Pregnancy, Adolescents, Children, Infants, and Neonates. Pretoria, South Africa, 2019.In both arms, stored plasma samples were taken at the enrolment, follow-up VL, and exit visits for retrospective VL and HIV drug resistance testing. Participants who were late for visits were tracked by clinical staff according to routine clinical procedures, which generally involve telephone follow-up if the participant is more than 14 days late.