Viral Load | Cold | Atripla

Dec 26, 2010

Hello,

I started Atripla this past July after 8 years (the past 2 being undectable) of Trizivir/Sustiva. I was undectable with my first set of labs taken one month after I began Atripla. Prior to my most recent labs, I had an upper respiratory infection that went untreated and lasted 3 weeks until I kicked it. My most recent labs I beleive I "blipped" to 82 although my CD4 stayed relatively the same, about 900.

Q: What effect does a prolonged cold/flu have on Viral Load (if any)? My ID said it would have to do with the prolonged elevated white cell count during the time of my infection.

Thank you in advance.....

Response from Dr. Holodniy

Various ongoing infections can elevate the viral load and this usually occurs in people not on HIV meds or with those who have detectable viral loads. it generally has to do with HIV infected cells getting activated and turning on virus replication. Although your blip could be associated with a respiratory infection, given your consistent undetectable viral loads this blip most likely represents some assay variability and not anything clinically significant.