Dear Dr I have tested positive last month by rapid home kit hiv test , then i went to clinic and they did ELISA and it was positive as well.. so the doctor is confirmed to me, later on we did the CD4 it was 724 and viral load was 60000 , he told me you dont have to start treatment yet. However i checked my ELISA lab result, i found they didnt do the confirmation test ( Western blot) , i asked the doctor he said no need for that as your viral load is high! so what do you think in my case? is every high viral load mean hiv? shall i do the western blot test for confirmation ?

Thank you

Hi there:

Thanks for writing in. Having a viral load of 60,000 negates the need for a Western Blot. A Western Blot can be done as a confirmatory test to an ELISA, but is done when we're not sure if an infection has occurred. Two positive ELISA tests are good indicators that transmission has occurred, and doing a viral load test is another way to confirm the presence of HIV.

Be sure to check out our Just Diagnosed section. It offers a wealth of information that will be helpful in the coming months.

News like this is never easy. Please know that while this is certainly a new chapter in the book, your story is far from over. In the coming months you're likely going to experience every single emotion in the book. Don't fight it. Allow yourself the time and space to fully feel every aspect of your diagnosis.

In time, I would encourage you to find ways to turn this seemingly negative thing into a positive one. As people living with HIV, we each have the opportunity to becomes advocates for others who are living with or at risk for the disease. Good luck.

In health,

Richard