Hello:

Was diagnosed with AIDS cd4 180, VL >150k andstarted on Kaletra and Combivir. Then lost isurance so got on Sustiva/Combivir. No matter what the VL sticks around 800. Doc is okay as my white cells have gone bonkers am still concerned that VL cannot be made undetectable. Is this okay?

Thanks, Carles Philadelphia.

As I understand your situation, you have had a good CD4 cell response (which you call your white cells 'going bonkers'), but your viral load is persistently 800 copies/ml, which has you concerned.

I agree with your concern. Failure to achieve a viral load below 50 copies/ml is associated with a greater likelihood of virologic failure, and your current regimen contains two agents - sustiva (efavirenz) and epivir (lamivudine or 3TC) which are quite vulnerable to low level viremia due to resistance from a single amino acid mutation.

As the threshold for most commercial genotypic assays is 1,000, your doctor may be able to obtain a genotype and identify whether such mutations have already taken place.

Regarding options for treatment, there are several, including 'intensification' (adding an additional single active drug), changing to an entirely new regimen, or other drug substitutions. In each case, I would want to know the genotype of your current virus if possible. Other important information would include the duration of this low level viremia, your adherence patterns (as specifically as possible), other medications you are taking or have taken, and your clinical status.

I urge you to talk to your physician about these options and some of the issues raised above.