Numerous hard-hit low- and middle-income nations have taken greater strides in recent years in getting their HIV populations on antiretrovirals (ARVs) earlier in the course of infection, Healio reports.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers conducted an analysis of 2004 to 2015 data on 694,138 people treated at 797 HIV clinics in Haiti, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, all of which have a high burden of the virus.

Data pertaining to eight of the 10 nations showed a significant decline in recent years in the proportion of individuals starting ARVs when they already had advanced HIV disease, defined as a CD4 count below 200. The greatest decline in this proportion was from 73 percent to 37 percent between 2004 and 2014 in Mozambique, from 80 percent to 41 percent between 2004 and 2012 in Namibia and from 75 percent to 34 percent between 2004 and 2015 in Haiti.

The median CD4 count upon starting ARVs increased from 128 to 261 between 2004 and 2014 in Mozambique; from 125 to 230 between 2004 and 2012 in Namibia; from 103 to 297 between 2004 and 2015 in Haiti; from 143 to 184 between 2004 and 2010 in Swaziland; from 89 to 170 between 2004 and 2009 in Uganda; and from 22 to 92 between 2005 and 2009 in Vietnam.

To read the CDC report, click here.