Re: Query on Initiating ARV Therapy without CD4 testing

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

This is an important query, which is asked often. WHO guidelines can be used in

absence of cd4 cell counts. A while ago forum made a list of free CD4

cell count centers - I am re-posting it along with this posting. WHO has

developed guidelines for initiating antiretrovirals based on clinical criteria,

which are widely used in various developing country settings. You can access

these guidelines at

http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/prev_care/en/ScalingUp_E.pdf

Clinicians on this list serve, please forward any india specific guidelines

that may be available to assist the following query. I believe NACO is in

the process of developing India specific guidelines that will be made available

soon .

There are also facilities that can measure Cd4 cell counts for 1000-1200 rpees,

and there are some government facilities providing free CD4 cell counts. Please

inquire from your state aids control office for these free facilities in your

state.

Dr. Sai Subhasree Raghavan

E-mail: <ssr12@...>

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Centres for CD4/CD8 Blood Tests in India

New Delhi:

1. AIIMS

2. Dr. RML Hospital

3. NICD

4. Safdarjung Hospital

Pune:

1. BJ Medical College

2. Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune

3. National AIDS Research Institute, Pune

Kolkata:

1. Calcutta Medical College

2. School of Tropical Medicine

3. Medical College, Kolkata

4. City Counselling Centre (Run by Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee)

8/1, Bawani Dutta Lane Kolkata - 700 006

5. Bharuka Public Welfare Trust " Amaader Bari\ " 63, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road

kolkata

6. Roy & Trivedi Parkstreet (Beside Petrol pump near Park Street Thana)

7. Ranbaxy Speciality, Collection Centre Divine Nursing Home Beliaghata.

Indore: Choitram Hospital

Bhopal: Gandhi Medical College

Shimla: Govt; Medical College

Chennai:

1) Institute of Thoracic Medicine, Tambaram

2) YRG Care.IInd Floor, Main Building, Voluntary Health Services Hospital Campus

Taramani, Chennai - 600 113, INDIA, Phone: 91- 44 - 22542929 (10 lines) Extn:

227 / 228, Fax: 91 - 44 - 22542939

YRG Care in Chennai also offer services of HIV monitoring with CD4/CD8 Counts

and Viral Load testings.

CD4/CD8 Counts : It is being done with Becton Dickinson Instrument -

FACSCount, we charge Rs.1200.00 and the Quality is controlled and certified by

UK-NEQAS Leukocyte Immunophenotyping Schemes, Sheffield,UK.

Viral Load Testing : it is being done with Roche Diagnostics kit - COBAS

Automated system by RT - PCR Technique. We charge Rs.4000.00 and the Quality of

the test is controlled by RUSH University, Chicago,US under VQA Programme.]

As a standard practice - along with the CD4/CD8 absolute count and % of each,

we also give reports for all the hematology parameters including platelet. If

the patient gives blood before 1.30PM - the report is given on the same day by

5.30PM and if the blood is collected after 1.30PM the report is given next day

morning 11.00AM.

3) Christian Medical College, Vellore

Mumbai: JJ Group of Hospitals, KEM Hospital

Imphal: JN Medical College

Lucknow:

1. KG Medical College

2. Department of Immunilogy, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of

Medical Sciences, Raibareilly Road, Lucknow

Madurai: Madurai Medical College

Guwahati: Medical College

Goa: Medical College, Panjim

Kerala: Tiruvanndapuram Medical College

Bangalore: NIMHANS

Hyderabad: Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences

Chandigarh: Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research

Jaipur: SMS Medical College

Ahmedabad: VJ Medical College