The Intensified Treatment Monitoring Strategy to Prevent Accumulation of Drug Resistance (ITREMA) Trial

Intensified virological monitoring during first-line ART with viral load monitoring at month 6 of ART and 3-monthly thereafter, followed-up consecutively by point-of-care qualitative drug level testing and drug resistance testing in case of a viral load \>1000 copies/mL, during first-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV-1 infection as prescribed by South African national guidelines.

Standard-of-care virological monitoring during first-line ART as described by WHO and South African National Department of Health ART guidelines, consisting of viral load monitoring at month 6 and 12 of ART and annually thereafter, followed-up by a repeat measurement within 3 months after a viral load \>1000 copies/mL, during first-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV-1 infection as prescribed by South African national guidelines.