How Accurate Are Viral Load Tests For Hiv

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Women and HIV Viral Load

Table of Contents What Is a Viral Load? How Are Viral Load Results Used? Starting Treatment When Should You Be Tested? Women and Viral Load Areas of Future Viral Load Research What Is a Viral Load? HIV attacks immune system cells called CD4 cells. HIV enters these cells and turns them into virusfactories that produce thousands of copies of HIV. As the virus grows, itdamages or kills CD4 cells, weakening your immune system. ...

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Less-Accurate Viral Load testing

My DR thinks that, since my viral load (no-matter-what) is always greater-than 500,000, then it really does not need to be more precisely quantified. Is that true?...

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

Stanford University, School of Medicine

YES. That is an extremely high viral load and requires prompt treatment, or a change in the regimen if you are already receiving treatment. That viral load indicates that the HIV infection is chewing up alot of T cells at a very high rate. At that... Read more »

Is bdna viral load test accurate?

My viral load test just into the 7th month after possible exposure was negative, down to <-75 copies. It says Viral Load by bDNA on it and I just wondered if those are good tests?This was after 7 other negative antibody tests and 1 other PCR DNA...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello M,Six years and you're still worried after eight negative HIV-antibody tests, one undetectable HIV PCR DNA and an undetectable seven-month bDNA??? Dude! Exactly what part of "HIV negative" are you having difficulty... Read more »

Can I be cartain my viral load results are accurate

Dear Dr.Holodniy - Quick question...I have been very terrified that I had been infected with the HIV virus. I was involved in very risky behavior over 2 months ago. Just about 2 weeks ago I decided to get a Viral Load test to see if "for...

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

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Two months would be long enough.MH... Read more »

pos. person on meds testing neg. possible? (HIV ANTIBODY TEST VERSUS HIV VIRAL LOAD TEST)

Hi Dr. Bob. First thank you for all your generous answers. My question is:If someone is on meds for hiv(any, not specific)and their v.l. is undetectable, how possible is it they can go down to the local health department and test negative? Thanks...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello m. p.,How possible is it that an HIVer on antiretroviral medications that have driven his HIV plasma viral load to undetectable levels will test "HIV negative" (HIV-antibody negative) at his local health department? The answer is it... Read more »

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33rd day elisa,cd4 count, and Viral load accurate?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Hey all. Im the "oral DOES =HIV" guy. Well it looks like gmanbill and deb tex are right on. just one question. I went to the doctor and told him my symptoms. He checked me out from head to toe. He was just as concerned as I was, as I had swollen... Read more »

another ?--viral load testing

Posted by anxious, 1 Reply

following my pre-seminal fluid post, i was just wondering about the viral load test. i think its the "pcr" test you guys keep referring to on here. well, being as anxious as i am for a result... what are the stats on this test? how conclusive is... Read more »

Viral Load Testing.

Posted by sunkyst, 3 Replies

I went to see a doctor today who does internal medicine and is also a HIV specialist. I told him about all of the HIV tests I've had done over the past few weeks i.e several tests where I tested negative and the last one at just over 11 weeks where... Read more »

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 »

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