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Test Interpreter: HIV Viral Load
Doctors use a real-time polymerase chain reaction test to monitor viral load in people with HIV. Viral load is the amount of virus in the blood. The goal of HIV treatment is to reach and maintain an undetectable or suppressed viral load, which helps prevent transmission and complications. A rising viral load may be a sign that someone is not taking their medication properly, their medication is interacting with another drug or supplement, or they need to change treatments.
Introduction
Undetectable viral load
Suppressed viral load
Unsuppressed viral load
Someone’s viral load is unsuppressed when they have >200 copies/mL. This raises their chance of transmitting HIV and developing complications.
Someone’s viral load is suppressed when they have <200 copies/mL. A suppressed viral load may be detectable but is still very low.
Someone’s viral load is undetectable when there is so little HIV in their blood that a standard test cannot detect it. Different labs have different definitions of undetectable, but <20 copies of HIV per mL (copies/mL) is common.
HIV Viral Load
A high viral load is >100,000 copies/mL. This raises a person's chances of transmitting HIV and gives them a high chance of developing complications.
High viral load
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