Viral Load Testing

The Basics | Research on Viral Load | News

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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?
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 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?

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The Basics

FAQs About HIV Viral Load Tests From The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums (Regularly Updated)
From The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums
HIV Viral Load Testing (2009)
To read PDF, click here
From Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange
Blood Work: Two Common Tests to Use for Monitoring HIV Disease (January 2008)
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From Project Inform
Viral Load Tests (September 28, 2007)
To read PDF, click here
From AIDS InfoNet
Viral Load Tests (August 15, 2006)
From AIDS Treatment Data Network
Battle of the Sexes: Gender-Based Differences in Viral Load (Winter 2002/2003)
[Archived Article]
To read PDF, click here
In STEP Perspective, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
Viral Load and T-Cell (CD4) Counts: Why They Matter (May 11, 2001)
[Archived Article]
To read PDF, click here
In AIDS Treatment News, from AIDS Treatment News
Reasons for Hope: Chasing the End Zone -- An Update on "Ultrasensitive" Viral Load Tests (March 1999)
[Archived Article]
In Survival News, from AIDS Survival Project
Viral Load Testing (December 15, 1998)
[Archived Article]
In AIDS 101: Guide to HIV Basics, from San Francisco AIDS Foundation
What Is a Viral Load? (Fall 1998)
[Archived Article]
In Women Alive Newsletter, from Women Alive
Not Perfect, But Good Enough (June 1998)
[Archived Article]
CD4 counts can rise dramatically even when viral loads do not drop to undetectable levels.
In AIDS Care, from San Francisco General Hospital
Viral Load: How Low Can You Go? (May 1998)
[Archived Article]
In Positive Living, from AIDS Project Los Angeles

Research on Viral Load

Home Viral Load Test to Be Developed (May 5, 2009)
A grant of more than $3 million has just been given to scientists at three of London's largest research centers to develop a personal, handheld HIV viral load tester within the next three years.
From BBC News
HIV Suppression and Baseline Viral Load (Winter/Spring 2009)
In Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS, from San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Viral Load and HIV Transmission Risk (Winter/Spring 2009)
In Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS, from San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Study Finds HIV "Hides From Drugs for Years" (March 31, 2008)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Study Confirms Importance of CD4 Increase, Undetectable Viral Load After Starting HAART (March 28, 2008)
From aidsmap.com
Lower Adherence May Precede Viral Load "Blips" (September 28, 2006)
In 46th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
HIV JournalView: Persistent, Low-Level Viremia May Breed Resistance (September 2005)
[Archived Article]
Whether treatment should be switched in viremic patients depends on the regimen and the viral load level, a new study suggests.
From The Body PRO
HIV JournalView: How Stable Is "Stable" Low-Level Viremia? (January 2005)
Part of HIV JournalView's Top 10 Research Reports of 2004.
From The Body PRO
Viral Load Between 400 and 20,000 Can Still Maintain Patient Health (September 7, 2004)
[Archived Article]
Partially suppressive HAART appears to protect against death and illness as well as fully suppressive HAART.
From aidsmap.com
Viral Load Test One Month After Starting HAART May Help Predict Treatment Success (September 3, 2004)
[Archived Article]
From aidsmap.com
HIV JournalView: Many Patients Remain Stable Despite Persistent Low-Level Viremia (September 2004)
From The Body PRO
One for the Blipper (November 2003)
A review of recent studies on the causes of viral load blips and variable HIV replication rates.
In GMHC Treatment Issues, from Gay Men's Health Crisis
Dynamics of Viral Rebound in Plasma and Semen After Stopping Effective Antiretroviral Therapy (July 11, 2002)
[Archived Article]
In The XIV International AIDS Conference, from The Body PRO
The Buzz: The Disconnect Syndrome -- A Controversial Dilemma (May/June 2002)
[Archived Article]
To read PDF, click here
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network
Viral Blips and Virologic Failure (April 29, 2002)
[Archived Article]
Study results presented at Retrovirus 2002.
To read PDF, click here
In STEP Ezine, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
Measles Found to Suppress HIV (April 12, 2002)
[Archived Article]
In AIDS Treatment News, from AIDS Treatment News
Are Episodes of Transient Viremia ("Blips" in HIV RNA) Predictive of Virologic Failure in Heavily Treatment-Experienced Patients? (February 27, 2002)
In The 9th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, from The Body PRO
Antiretroviral Therapy Update: HIV Viral Load Response to Antiretroviral Therapy Based on CD4 Cell Count and Viral Load (January 31, 2002)
To read PDF, click here
In STEP Ezine, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
HIV Viral Load in Genital Tract and Blood Not Parallel (December 2001)
[Archived Article]
In HEPP News, from Brown Medical School
New Finding May Help Doctors Prevent HIV Drug Resistance (November 22, 2001)
[Archived Article]
From U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Viral "Blips" May Not Indicate Treatment Failure (November 2001)
[Archived Article]
In OUTReach, from San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Ability of Patients With HIV Infection to Predict Changes in Their Own CD4+ Lymphocyte and Viral Load Measurements (October 27, 2001)
In 39th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, from The Body PRO
Frequent Monitoring of Viral Load Improves Outcome (October 9, 2001)
From California Collaborative Treatment Group 570 team
Ask the Expert: A New Infection With an Undetectable Viral Load (October 2001)
[Archived Article]
To read PDF, click here
In HEPP News, from Brown Medical School
Immunologic Profile of HIV-Infected Patients During Viral Remission and Relapse on Antiretroviral Therapy (October 2001)
In Body Positive, from Body Positive
Low-Level HIV Viral Rebound and Blips in Patients Receiving Potent Antiretroviral Therapy (February 7, 2001)
In The 8th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, from The Body PRO
Viral Reservoirs and Ongoing Virus Replication in Patients on HAART: Implications for Clinical Management) (February 5, 2001)
From The Body PRO
Viral Load Blips (October 2000)
[Archived Article]
In Project Inform Perspective, from Project Inform
Scrub Typhus: Infection Reduces Viral Load in Some Patients (August 18, 2000)
[Archived Article]
In AIDS Treatment News, from AIDS Treatment News
Predictive Value of Viral Load "Blips" in Patients With Viral Suppression (August 17, 2000)
[Archived Article]
In STEP Ezine, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
Full Plasma Viral Load Suppression is Needed to Achieve an Optimal CD4 Response Among Patients Receiving Triple-drug Antiretroviral Therapy (July 12, 2000)
[Archived Article]
In The XIII International AIDS Conference, from The Body PRO
The Natural History and Clinical Significance of Intermittent Virological "Blips" in Patients Who Attain an Initially Undetectable Viral Load (VL) on HAART (July 12, 2000)
[Archived Article]
In The XIII International AIDS Conference, from The Body PRO
Ultra Sensitive Detection of Plasma HIV-1 RNA for Predicting the Durability of 3-Drug Antiretroviral Therapy (February 3, 1998)
[Archived Article]
From Seattle Treatment Education Project
HIV-1 Viral Burden Predicts Survival Among Severely Immunosuppressed HIV-1-Infected Men (February 2, 1998)
[Archived Article]
From Seattle Treatment Education Project

News

Scientists Receive Grant to Develop Hand-Held Self-Monitoring Test for HIV Viral Loads (May 7, 2009)
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Home Viral Load Test to Be Developed (May 5, 2009)
A grant of more than $3 million has just been given to scientists at three of London's largest research centers to develop a personal, handheld HIV viral load tester within the next three years.
From BBC News
Fast, Portable Device May Ease AIDS Testing in Developing Countries (February 14, 2003)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Less Expensive HIV Progression Test as Effective as Current Tests in Use (November 22, 2002)
[Archived Article]
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Viral "Blips" Do Not Indicate Treatment Failure (Summer/Autumn 2001)
In Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS, from San Francisco AIDS Foundation

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