Viral Load Testing For Hiv

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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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Viral load test as HIV screening test

Dear Dr. Holodniy,Four weeks after a risky sexual exposure (unprotected oral sex), I experienced many of the symptoms associated with acute retroviral syndrome. These symptoms included a persistent sore throat, swollen glands, stiff neck, and night...

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

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Viral load tests have been shown to be positive within several days to a couple of weeks after exposure/infection. Antibody and western blot assays can be negative or indeterminate for a few weeks after infection. P24 antigen will be strongly... Read more »

Viral load tests for HIV-I vs HIV-II

Are the same viral load tests used for both HIV-1 and II? I thought Iread somewhere that tests were not as reliable in measuring HIV-II.Thank you....

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

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Tests which measure HIV-1 viral load are not used to measure HIV-2 viral load. Although the viruses are similar, they are differentenough that an HIV-1 viral load test could not be used. MH... Read more »

Viral load test and HIV-2

Does the newer viral load tests also pick up HIV-2? My doctor said it does. Is that correct?...

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

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Viral load tests only measure the amount of HIV-1 in the blood. Antibody tests are available which detect antibodies to both HIV-1 and 2.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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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 »

Viral load test cost

Posted by Bensf, 2 Replies

I've been HIV+ for 10 years, not on meds and have been part of a study that pays for my CD4 and viral load tests. The study is ending and I am covered by Anthem Blue Cross- California with a high deductible, which I never meet. Has anyone had... 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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