HIV Viral Load

• to monitor the status of HIV disease,
• to guide recommendations for therapy, and
• to predict the future course of HIV.

Evidence shows that keeping the viral load levels as low as possible for as long as possible decreases the complications of HIV disease and prolongs life.

Public health guidelines state that treatment should be considered for asymptomatic HIV-infected people who have viral loads higher than 30,000 copies per milliliter of blood using a test known as a branched DNA test, or more than 55,000 copies using an RT-PCR test.

There are several methods for testing viral load; results are not interchangeable so it is important that the same method be used each time.

A low viral load is usually between 200 to 500 copies, depending on the type of test used. This result indicates that HIV is not actively reproducing and that the risk of disease progression is low.

A viral load result that reads “undetectable” does not mean that you are cured. It may mean that the level of HIV virus in your blood is below the threshold needed for detection by this test. Other tests that are ultra-sensitive and that can measure as few as 20 to 40 copies in a milliliter of blood can be performed to make sure.

Change in viral load is also a very important measurement. A rising count indicates an infection that is getting worse, while a falling count indicates improvement and suppression of the HIV infection.

A non-infected person should have no circulating HIV virus in his or her blood and, therefore, a negative or undetectable viral load.