How to Interpret Viral Load Test Results
A viral load test is performed on someone who has tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The results show how much of the virus is present in the person's bloodstream. Monitoring viral load test results allows physicians to find out if the treatments they are using to keep the virus from reproducing are effective. Read on to learn how to interpret viral load test results.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Educate yourself about viral load test results and what they mean. A great place to start is the article "HIV Viral Load," posted on Lab Tests Online. See the Resources section below for a link.
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Remember when you interpret a viral load test, you want to see exactly the opposite of what you would want to see on a T-cell test. You want your viral load to go down. This shows that the virus is not replicating itself as quickly. You want your number of T-cells, which represent fighter cells in your immune system, to go up.
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Expect your doctor to test your viral load immediately after diagnosis, within eight weeks of initiating treatment, and every three to six months after that. This allows them to keep a close eye on whether the virus is continuing to make copies of itself and spread, or whether the virus has stopped replicating itself and is inactive.
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Be aware that having an "undetectable" viral load does not mean that you have been cured. It just means that the level of virus in the blood is so low that the test is not sensitive enough to find it. Having an "undetectable" viral load is very good news, but it is important to remember to keep following your prescribed medication regimen.
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Ask your doctor's office for a copies of the results of the viral load tests you have taken. This will enable you to monitor and interpret your disease process.
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Be assertive when asking your doctor to interpret test results that you don't understand. Since doctors tend to put things in medical terminology, you may need to ask many questions until you are sure you understand what your doctor is telling you. If your doctor acts rushed, harried, or irritated by your questions, or if he or she cannot explain the test results adequately, it may be time to find a new doctor.
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Tips & Warnings
Viral load is usually very high when you are first infected. As your immune system tries to fight the virus, the viral load slowly drops, then starts rising again as it slowly destroys the immune system.
Most current HIV medications are geared toward interfering with the virus's ability to reproduce, so your viral load should drop once you start receiving treatment.
Even if you viral load is "undetectable," you can still pass HIV on to sexual partners during unprotected sex and to anyone with whom you share a needle while using injection drugs. If you are a mother, you can also still give your infant the virus through the placenta, during birth, and while breast feeding. Finally, although health care workers should be taking universal precautions, it is a good idea to mention your HIV positive status to anyone who comes into contact with your bodily fluids.
