For many young people in sub-Saharan Africa, moving from pediatric to adult HIV care is a critical moment. A new analysis of 13,819 patients found that viral suppression drops significantly during this shift. Before the transition, 75 percent of patients had undetectable virus levels. After moving to adult care, that number fell to 67 percent.
The data comes from a review of studies focusing on adolescents and young adults aged 10 to 26 years. The researchers looked at how well antiretroviral therapy worked before and after the handover to adult providers. The drop in control suggests that the current system may not be ready to support these patients immediately after they age out of pediatric services.
Experts say future studies need to define transition ages more clearly and use consistent follow-up periods. Without these changes, it is hard to compare results across different regions. The findings call for targeted strategies to help young people maintain their viral suppression as they enter adulthood.