As a result, all individuals over 12 years of age who have their first confidential HIV diagnosis identified through the Michigan Department of Community Health's (MDCH) two HIV regional laboratories (Detroit and Grand Rapids), and who are not known to have been exposed to antiretroviral therapy, are provided with a clinically useful genotype and assessment of drug resistance and HIV subtype.

Testing sites (public and private) that do not routinely utilize the MDCH HIV regional laboratories are encouraged to provide a serum specimen to MDCH for HIV testing in addition to their normal lab protocols so that all newly diagnosed individuals in Michigan can benefit from this initiative and so that MDCH can accurately and comprehensively monitor trends in HIV drug resistance and subtype statewide.

As a part of the routine testing protocol, VARHS does not require consent beyond HIV testing guidelines  and requires an insignificant increase in blood draw volume.  No additional patient information outside of routine surveillance is collected.  Clinical results are returned free of charge to any health care provider designated by the participant  at post-test counseling within 1 month (and can be requested up to 5 years after the test is conducted). 

QUICK FACTS:

• Both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US panel of the International AIDS Society recommend resistance testing for newly infected and chronically infected drug naïve individuals
• Over 60% of all individuals in Michigan testing for HIV today are offered this genotyping service (and growing)
• Michigan has genotyped > 800 specimens since Oct 2004
  • approximately 1 in 7 individuals are infected with a drug-resistant strain of HIV (1 in 15 exhibit multiple drug resistance) 
  • approximately 10% of Michigan cases are non-B subgroups

QUICK LINKS:

• One page summary of VARHS for clinicians and testing sites 
• MDCH test requisition form nbsp;(used to submit serum to MDCH for VARHS testing) 
• Authorization sheet nbsp;(allows MDCH to return stored genotype results to clinical providers)

For more information on VARHS, please contact
Mary-Grace Brandt PhD, MPH
313 876-4115

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