Absence of early HIV diagnosis in infants results in poor quality of life with unnecessary high suffering and mortality rates to these minors. This leads to delays on case management and a well informed clinical decision. The goal of this proposed project is to prove that ultra-sensitive HIV-1 p24 assay is a sensitive, specific and cost effective tool for early diagnosis of HIV in children of up to 18 months old in rural Tanzania. 

Objectives are; 

1. to assess accuracy of ultra-sensitive HIV-1 p24 assay over gold standard RT-PCR for the diagnosis of HIV-1 in children of up to 18 months old

2. to assess the accuracy of ultra-sensitive HIV-1 p24 over RT-PCR in the identification of HIV-1 subtypes in children of up to 18 months old

3. to assess the level of compliance of the community and health workers in using ultra-sensitive HIV-1 p24 for EID

4 to make comparative analysis on cost-effectiveness between ultra-sensitive HIV-1 p24 assay and RT-PCR. 

Planning, sensitization, training, resource mobilization, recruitment of study participants, counseling and HIV testing using ultra-sensitive HIV-1p24, RT-PCR and genotyping assays for status and subtype 
identification will be used as tools to address study objectives. 

It is envisaged that results accrued from this project will have a significant added value on PMTCT program and enhance proper case management by accelerating early HIV-1 diagnosis in this disadvantageous and marginalized group of people living in poor-resource settings not only in Tanzania alone but also beyond the country at large.