- The aim of initial assessment is to establish the prognosis
and the need for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). -
Diagnosis and management varies between resource-intensive
settings and resource-limited settings. - Patients should be
clinically staged according to WHO or Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. - All patients should
have a CD4 count, hepatitis B and C screen, VDRL, tuberculin
skin test, and CXR. HIV viral load is also assessed at baseline
in most developed countries. Drug resistance testing
(genotype/phenotype) is recommended in settings with high levels
of circulating resistant virus. - TB and Pneumocystis jirovecii
pneumonia prophylaxis and immunisation with pneumococcal,
influenza, hepatitis B and A, and tetanus vaccines should be
considered. - The decision to initiate HAART depends on the
patient's clinical stage, CD4 count, medical comorbidities, and
ability to adhere to chronic HIV treatment. Other related
conditions - Overview of HIV - HIV infection in pr