Manoj Joshi
Accepted Abstracts: J Antivir Antiretrovir
Future ART guidelines will require regimen convenience, tolerability and adherence to chronically suppress HIV replication. Each ART dose ingested by the HIV-infected person at the scheduled time keeps the viral replication low in residual reservoir cells which in turn keeps the CD4 cells unexposed to the virion. From October 2012 and continuing, the follow-ups of HIV-infected persons on ART at ICTC facility, it was detected that out of 69 ART recipients, 16(23.2%) reported missing 1-2 doses, 32(46.4%) missing 3-8 doses and 21(30.4%) missing >8 doses every month. The most common cause of non-adherence was socially obligatory short (2-3 days) visits to family events at nearby villages and towns. Taking note of ubiquitous presence of small sealable plastic pouches in diagnostic kits, all ART recipients were given such empty pouches (with a desiccant pack) along with the monthly supply of ART drugs. They were counseled to carry 3 day?s doses in plastic pouch in their trouser pockets or keep them tied to the sari corners (for females). Post-counseling follow-ups revealed that 65(94.2%) missed only 1-2 doses and 4(5.8%) missed >4 doses. Following this drastic change in ART adherence, providing plastic pouch along with ART drugs was made mandatory part of dispensing ART. Similar indigenous innovative methods introduced in resource-limited settings can improve the ART adherence significantly, thereby helping in maintenance of low-level viremia, decreasing HIV transmission rates and cases of ART resistance.
Manoj Joshi has completed his MBBS in 1989 from Utkal university and MD in 1998 from University of Mumbai. He is a Professor of Microbiology and a member of pharmacovigilance committee at Jhalawar Medical College. Responsibilities include teaching, assesessing and examining undergraduate and postgraduate medical students at health university level. He also supervises ICTC, Bacteriology, Serology, Virology, Protozoology & Helminthology, and Mycology sections at the teaching hospital. He has published an article titled ?Parasitic Diarrhoea in Patients with AIDS? in a national journal.
