Viral Load Tests: What they are used for ·
Deciding whether to start therapy
Although the main test used is the CD4 count, if your viral load count is high, say over 100,000, then your doctor may suggest starting treatment earlier, even with a relatively high CD4 count.
Assessing how well your therapy is working
The aim of ARV therapy is to have a CD4 count that is going up, and a viral load that comes down fast and then stays consistently low. Ideally, it should go down below 40-50 within three months of starting on ARV therapy.
An undetectable or very low viral load has two benefits. It reduces your risk of developing HIV related illnesses, and also reduces that chance that you become resistant to your anti-HIV drugs. See Resistance section.
Viral load, like CD4 count, can go up and down, and no one result would be taken as totally reliable. It can produce different results if taken at different times of the day and can also increase temporarily if you have other infections. If you do have a single detectable or higher viral load, doctors will look again and see if there is an increasing trend. If so, this may be a sign your therapy isn’t working and you may need to change or ask for help with adherence.
It is not uncommon for people to have viral load blips or single higher results while they are on therapy. This is quite understandable if you think about it. If your viral load normally hovers around say 15, then your viral load will always come back as undetectable. A small very occasional increase to above 40 will then start to register on the viral load radar screen. This doesn’t mean that your anti-HIV drugs are failing, and is quite often the result of a laboratory error anyway.
Comment
Previous article: Viral Load Tests: What they mean Next article: Resistance Tests
