What is HIV viral load?
Viral load is a measurement of how much HIV is present in your blood. A sample of blood is taken and sent to a lab for testing. Results are expressed as the number of copies of the virus per milliliter of blood. Each virus is called a "copy" because HIV reproduces by making copies of itself (replicating).
The viral load test is used to see if your medicines are working.
Why is an HIV viral load test done?
A viral load test is done to watch for changes in an HIV infection. Your doctor uses it to see how well your treatment is working. This information helps guide your treatment options.
A goal of treatment is to reach an undetectable viral load. This means that the amount of the virus is too low for the test to detect. When the virus is undetectable, you cannot pass HIV to other people through sex.
How is an HIV viral load test done?
A health professional uses a needle to take a blood sample, usually from the arm.
How do you prepare for an HIV viral load test?
In general, there's nothing you have to do before this test, unless your doctor tells you to.
What do the results of an HIV viral load test mean?
Each lab has a different range for what's normal. Your lab report should show the range that your lab uses for each test.
Viral load results are reported as the number of HIV copies in a milliliter (copies/mL) of blood. Each virus is called a "copy," because HIV reproduces by making copies of itself (replicating).
Normal: | HIV is not detected (undetectable) in the blood. |
|---|---|
Abnormal: | HIV is detected in the blood. Your doctor will compare your current measurement with previous values. |
If the viral load drops, it means that the infection is being suppressed or controlled.
If no HIV copies are found, this does not mean that you don't have HIV anymore. It means that the amount of HIV in the blood was too low for the test to detect.
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