New Delhi, Dec 23 (NationPress) The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly endorsed CD4 testing as the top method for detecting advanced HIV disease in individuals living with HIV. This new recommendation is included in the forthcoming 2025 guidelines for managing advanced HIV disease.

The WHO defines advanced HIV disease in adults, adolescents, and children aged five years and older as having a CD4 cell count lower than 200 cells/mm3.

According to the WHO, "Advanced HIV disease is the leading cause of AIDS-related deaths among those living with HIV. This represents a significant public health challenge, even in areas where HIV testing and treatment services are well-established, despite progress towards the 95–95–95 targets."

All children under five years old who are living with HIV should be considered as having advanced HIV disease at the time of presentation, unless they have been receiving ART for over a year and are deemed clinically stable.

The 2025 guidelines aim to enhance the identification of advanced HIV disease and improve the dismal outcomes for individuals living with HIV who are discharged from hospitals, according to the WHO.

In the updated guidelines, CD4 testing has been reasserted as a crucial tool for identifying advanced HIV disease.

In cases where CD4 testing is unavailable, the WHO suggests using clinical staging to determine advanced HIV disease.

CD4 testing can be instrumental in identifying advanced HIV disease in individuals who are starting or restarting ART, re-engaging in care, experiencing treatment failures, or are hospitalized and clinically unstable.

The WHO pointed out that CD4 testing can also help identify treatment failures when viral load testing is not an option. It can also assist in determining eligibility for stopping co-trimoxazole prophylaxis and for fluconazole prophylaxis.

The WHO indicated that hospitalized individuals with HIV may benefit from interventions designed to facilitate their transition to outpatient care and to minimize unnecessary readmissions.

Potential interventions include pre-discharge goal setting, medication reviews, transitional care planning, follow-up calls, home visits by healthcare providers or peer supporters, and personalized support.

Additionally, the UN health body recommended paclitaxel or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin for the pharmacological treatment of individuals living with HIV suffering from Kaposi’s sarcoma, a rare cancer affecting blood vessels and lymph vessels.

The guidelines also underscore the importance of early detection, prompt initiation of ART, and optimized clinical management to mitigate morbidity and mortality.

“Countries implementing these recommendations will have the potential to decrease the progression to severe illness and mortality, enhance treatment outcomes, and further global HIV elimination goals,” stated the WHO.