doc,

most of the times i appreciate your wonderful job you are doing on this forum and thats why i have come up with this question. i have been detectable now for 3 consecutive months after 1 year undetectable.when i was first detectable, 3months ago, Vl was about 4000, then went to 8000 and now its gone back to 3000, but already my doc 2 months ago took blood for genotype test to check resistance to my present regimen(Cri+retrovir+epivir) but after long time of waiting they told me they failed to get results and they say am the first case. so i have to redo it. but my question is; what can be possible explanation for this??am i having different strain maybe that cannot be analyzed by present methods for genotyping??should i redo it or opt for phenotype now??

please help me doc as usual.

It could be the copy number. Most labs should be able to get a genotype at around 1000 copies. Some have a cutoff slightly higher at say 3,000 copies. Phenotyping labs might have the same problem or restriction. Hopefully it wasn't something silly like drawing your blood in the wrong tube which might inhibit the test. I would get another genotype. If your health plan allows, you could consider another lab.

MH