Viral Load Measurement: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• The results from the different methods (RT-PCR, bDNA, NASBA) to measure viral load are not interchangeable. This makes it important to use the same method of measuring each time.
• An undetectable viral load result does not mean that you no longer have HIV in your blood. It simply means that the amount of HIV in the blood was too low for the test to detect. HIV still can be passed to another person even when the viral load cannot be detected.
• The viral load test is not used routinely to diagnose HIV. The HIV antibody test is used for this purpose. For more information, see the medical test Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Test.
• The viral load test is more accurate than a CD4+ count to evaluate the effects of HIV. The CD4+ count measures how well your immune system is working and may be used to determine when to start antiretroviral therapy. The viral load test is used to determine the response to antiretroviral therapy. For more information about the CD4+ count, see the medical test CD4+ Count.

Last updated:	March 01, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Peter Shalit, MD, PhD - Internal Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer