Can Viral Load Tests For Hiv Be Affected By Antibiotics

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Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange

HIV Viral Load Testing

As a person with HIV, having your viral load tested will likely be an importantpart of your plan to stay healthy. You will have the test done regularly,and it will be one of several factorsyou and your doctor will look at whendeciding how to manage your infection. This brochure introduces you tothe viral load test and answers basicquestions about how it fits into yourtreatment plan. What is the viral load test? A viral load test measures...

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Antibiotics, infections and viral load

Dear Dr. Holodniy,1. What affect, if any, will antibiotic treatment have on the viral load tests? Can the numbers be driven down or up by antibiotics?2. If an individual has any other infection, how will this impact the viral load testing?Thank...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Antibiotics themselves will not affect the viral load, either in the assay itself, or in a person. We do know that certain kinds of infections and vaccinations can increase viral load transiently by 2-100 times. Not all kinds of infections have been... Read more »

Hepatitis B / Antibiotics and HIV Test (ANTIBIOTICS AND HIV TESTING, 2009)

I currently have Hepatitis B and have just finished taking azithromycin for a cough.I just took a Home Access Hiv test (6 weeks after potential exposure) and was wondering if either the Hep B or antibiotics would affect the negative result.Thank you....

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello,Once again, the information you request was already waiting for you in the archives!!! I've answered these concerns multiple times in the past. (See below for a small sample of what you will find in the archives!)Dr. BobHep B and HIV... Read more »

Does antibiotic or an infection alter CD4 and viral load results?

Dear Dr. Mark HolodniyI have been positive since an year and am not on medications. My CD4 values over one year has evolved as 474(23%),477(24%),575(25.5%) and 495(21%). Respective viral load values have been 794,5500,1500,3600. CD8 has been sort of...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Antibiotics will not affect the result. An acute infection can affect the CD4 count. Given the prior consistent numbers, it is likely that on repeat your numbers will be back to baseline.... Read more »

Viral load affecting test results?

Dear Dr. Holidnay,Does a persons VL determine how soon they will test positive for the HIV virus? I was curious if a person with a high viral load during the ARS syndorme might test postive sooner than an individual with a lower viral load during...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

The specific answer to your question is unknown. My hunch is that given the few cases in which we have serial samples, the natural evolution of antibody test positivity was not different when the level of viral load was looked at.MH... Read more »

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The Failure of Viral Load Tests

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

The Failure of Viral Load Tests
JAMA Study Shakes AIDS Science, Angers HIV Advocates

A nationwide team of orthodox AIDS researchers led by doctors Benigno Rodriguez and Michael Lederman of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland are disputing the... Read more »

Gonorrhea Affecting CD4 & Viral Load Count

Posted by jjdietz, 3 Replies

Hello,

I was diagnosed with gonorrhea last Saturday. I was given a shot and I'm taking medication. I'm feeling alot better, but I have to finish my medication for another week.

As of April, 2012, my CD4 count was over 2,000 and my viral load was less... Read more »

VIRAL LOAD TESTS VS ELISA

Posted by bura, 2 Replies

"The test can be used for diagnosis, because it can detect a viral load a few days after HIV infection. This is better than the standard HIV (antibody) test, which can be "negative" for 2 to 6 months after HIV infection." If the antibody test can be... Read more »

DNA PCR Vs Viral Load test

Posted by sunkyst, 1 Reply

Does anyone know the difference between a HIV DNA PCR test versus a viral load test that's performed on someone already confirmed positive, obviously one is about detecting the virus and the other how much but are the methods used essentially the... Read more »

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