High prevalence of reverse transcriptase inhibitors associated resistance mutations among people living with HIV on dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy in Francistown, Botswana.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed HIV-1 drug resistance profiles among people living with HIV (PLWH) with detectable viral load (VL) and on dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Botswana.

METHODS: The study utilised available 100 residual HIV-1 VL samples from unique PLWH in Francistown who had viraemia at-least 6 months after initiating ART in Botswana's national ART program from November 2023 to January 2024. Viraemia was categorized as low-level viraemia (LLV) (VL: 200-999 copies/mL) or virologic failure (VF) (VL ≥1000 copies/mL). HIV-1 protease, reverse transcriptase and integrase genes were sequenced using an in-house next-generation sequencing Oxford nanopore technology. HIV-1 drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were identified using the HIVdb Program in the Stanford HIV drug resistance database and compared between VL groups.

RESULTS: Among 100 participants, 83.0% were on dolutegravir-based, 10.0% were on non-dolutegravir-based ART and 7.0% had unknown/undocumented ART regimens. Thirty (30%) participants had LLV and 70 (70%) had VF. Among 58 successfully sequenced, 32.8% [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 21.8-46.0] had DRMs to any drug class, 33.3% (4/12) in the LLV group and 32.6% (15/46) in the VF group. Among individuals on dolutegravir-based ART, the overall HIV DRMs were 34.8% (95% CI: 22.7-49.2). By VL groups, 40.0% (95% CI: 16.8-68.7) and 33.3% (95% CI: 20.2-50.0) had DRMs at LLV and VF, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: A high but similar prevalence of any DRMs was observed among individuals with LLV and those with VF on dolutegravir-based therapy. Monitoring DRMs in individuals with detectable VL is crucial for preserving dolutegravir-based ART.