What is an undetectable viral load number?
When copies of HIV cannot be detected by standard viral load tests, an HIV-positive person is said to have an “undetectable viral load.” For most tests used clinically today, this means fewer than 50 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood (<50 copies/mL). Reaching an undetectable viral load is a key goal of ART.
What does virally suppressed mean?
Viral suppression is defined as having less than 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood. Viral suppression helps to keep you healthy and prevents transmission. HIV medicine can make your viral load so low that it doesn’t show up in a standard lab test. This is called having an undetectable viral load.
What is a good viral load?
A lower HIV viral load is below 10,000 copies. The virus probably isn’t actively reproducing as fast, and damage to your immune system may be slowed, but this is not optimal. A viral load that can’t be detected — less than 20 copies — is always the goal of HIV treatment.
What is a good viral load count?
CD4 count vs. viral load
| How serious is this? | CD4 level | Viral load |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring is essential, but a doctor may consider levels stable. | 300–500 cells/mm3 | less than 200 copies/mL |
| Acceptable levels. | 500–1,500 cells/mm3 | less than 20–75 copies/mL |
How long can you stay undetectable without medication?
A person’s viral load is considered “durably undetectable” when all viral load test results are undetectable for at least six months after their first undetectable test result. This means that most people will need to be on treatment for 7 to 12 months to have a durably undetectable viral load.
Can an undetectable person test negative?
The bottom line is that if you’re living with HIV and have an undetectable viral load, you will still test positive for HIV if you get tested. But, this is expected, and doesn’t mean that your treatment is not working or that you aren’t undetectable.
What makes viral load to increase?
Vaccinations, such as a flu jab, and infections can cause a temporary increase in your viral load. Talk to your doctor about whether you should delay your next viral load test – sometimes it is recommended to wait at least one month after having a vaccination or getting over an infection.
How much is normal viral load?
What is a normal viral load? A normal viral load means less than 20 to 75 copies of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) per milliliter of blood. A normal viral load may indicate: Low risk of HIV infection.
What is a high viral load?
Viral load refers to the amount of virus that can be detected in an infected person. High viral loads are concerning because they can mean the person is more infectious.
Can an undetectable person donate blood?
“The concept of ‘undetectable equals untransmittable’ for sexual contact is very important from a public health perspective, but may not apply to donated blood because a transfused unit of blood is a much larger volume than would occur from body fluid exposure during sex,” Custer said.
Should I take PrEP if my partner is undetectable?
While you are at low risk for HIV if your partner is undetectable, you should take it if PrEP makes you feel safer or if there’s a chance you might have other sexual partners. When taken as directed by a physician, PrEP can be up to 99% effective at preventing HIV transmission.
How long can you stay undetectable?
What is a normal viral load?
What is a good viral load number?