Viral Load Basics

• I was told by my case manager that my viral load won't drop lower than what it is now (it's 48 now). Is that true?
• Is there a way to manage my viral load without HIV medications? I am a healthy eater and a positive thinker, plus I exercise and take some supplements.
• What actually happens inside a person's body when they start HIV treatment and their viral load goes down? Where does the HIV go? Is it destroyed?
• How often should I get my viral load checked?
• How long does it take to achieve an undetectable viral load when you are taking HIV meds?
• Why are both my viral load and CD4 count declining?
• What does "undetectable" mean?
• My viral load is over three millon. Is that normal?
• Can you explain "viral load" and "CD4 cell count," and detail how they are measured?
• What will happen to my viral load if I've recently been infected with HIV?
• What viral load numbers should be a cause for concern?
• Can viral load test results vary for harmless reasons?

Viral Load Test Results

• Six months ago my partner's viral load was about 15,000. But recently we found out that it's over one million! What could potentially cause such a large viral load jump?
• I was recently diagnosed with HIV. My CD4 count is 462 and my viral load is 58,300. Based on these numbers, would it be possible to determine when I was infected? Also, should I think about starting treatment?
• Will steroid treatment affect my viral load test results?
• My viral load jumped from 30,000 to 23 million. Could this be an error, or is it something more serious?
• If I have a high viral load, can I still be a "long-term nonprogressor"?
  (A long-term nonprogressor is somebody who has had HIV for a long time -- usually eight years or more -- but whose immune system remains perfectly healthy, even though they've never taken HIV meds.)
• What does it mean to have an "undetectable" viral load?
• Is it possible to have an "undetectable" viral load if you've never taken HIV medications?
• How can two of the available HIV viral load tests -- PCR and NASBA -- both be legitimate when they each get different results?
• Do different viral load tests have different definitions of "undetectable"?
• What does the "log" mean in my viral load test results?

Viral Load and HIV Treatment

• I have a CD4 count of 270 and a viral load of 3,500. My doctor says I should wait a little bit longer before starting HIV treatment. Is she right?
• I've been on HIV meds for more than four months, but my viral load isn't undetectable yet. What's going on?
• When I stopped taking HIV meds, my viral load decreased. What's going on?
• Even though my viral load has always been undetectable, do I need to start HIV meds?
• If my viral load stops decreasing while I'm on HIV meds, does that mean the meds have stopped working?
• How do my meds lower my viral load?
• If my viral load stops being undetectable while I'm on HIV treatment, does that mean I have resistance to my entire drug regimen?
• I've taken all of my meds on time for the past three years. Why, then, has my viral load become detectable?
• Is it OK if my viral load has never become undetectable, despite two years of HIV treatment?

Viral Load "Blips"

• I had an undetectable viral load for about four and a half years. But then four months ago it went up to 2,920. As of a few days ago it's gone back to undetectable. Is this normal? How high can a viral load blip go?
• I've had an undetectable viral load for a few years while on HIV treatment, but my last set of labs showed a viral load of 87. Should I be worried?
• At what level do blips in viral load actually indicate treatment failure?
• Can my viral load "blips" be an early sign of becoming resistant to my meds?
• What's a viral load "blip"?
• Should I be worried if my viral load keeps blipping?
• What might trigger a viral load blip?
• Can surgery cause my viral load to blip?

Viral Load and HIV Transmission

• What's the latest scoop on HIV viral load and the risk of HIV transmission? Was the Swiss Study correct?
• I had oral and anal sex with a doctor who later told me he was positive! However, he said I'd be fine because he's had an undetectable viral load for two years and can't transmit HIV. Is he right?
• Is it possible for me to get HIV from my husband even though his viral load has been undetectable for many years?
• If both partners have undetectable viral loads, do they still need to worry about superinfection during unprotected sex?
• What viral load level would an HIV-positive pregnant woman need to ensure she has a healthy, HIV-free baby?
• Does a low HIV viral load mean it's safe to have unprotected sex?

For frequently asked questions on other HIV/AIDS topics, click here.