See also: Viral Resistance
General Information
General Fact Sheets:
- Viral load tests (AIDS InfoNet) and Spanish and Russian version
- Viral load (AIDSmap)
Other Fact Sheets from AIDSmap:
- Why monitor CD4 and viral load?
- Viral load
- Looking at CD4 and viral load together
- Frequency of testing
Other General Information:
- Personal tracking charts (Project Inform) – charts for tracking T-cell counts, viral load, medications, and other important health information
- Viral load test (Poz) and Spanish version
- FAQs about HIV viral load tests (TheBody)
- HIV viral load (labtestsonline)
Selected Recent Articles
- Spanish study gives reassurance: small HIV blips do not predict treatment failure. (September 2016, AIDSmap)
- Viral load pilot study shows roll-out will depend on an educated workforce. (July 2016, AIDSmap)
- Program Raises HIV Viral Suppression Levels in African Communities Above U.N. Targets. (July 2016, Poz)
- Viral suppression not improved by interventions among patients with HIV, substance use. (July 2016, Healio)
- Less frequent CD4 and viral load monitoring safe for people doing well on ART. (June 2016, AIDSmap)
- HIV-Infected Vaginal Cells Still Won’t Transmit if the Viral Load Is Undetectable. (April 2016, Poz)
- Indian study proves that more people virally suppressed in a population equals fewer HIV infections. (April 2016, AIDSmap)
- More people with HIV are achieving viral suppression in US, but about 40% remain above transmission thresholds. (April 2016, AIDSmap)
- Residual HIV RNA in Plasma Continues to Decline for at Least 11 Years on Treatment. (March 2016, TheBodyPro)
- Self-Reported Suboptimal Adherence Tied to Rebound on Next Viral Load Measure. (March 2016, TheBodyPro)
- Increased HIV viral suppression among U.S. adults receiving medical care, 2009 to 2013. (February 2016, Retrovirus Conference); related coverage from MedPage Today, Healio and Poz
- HIV-infected vaginal cells do not transmit HIV if plasma viral load is undetectable, researchers find. (February 2016, AIDSmap)
- HIVMA issues recommendations on HIV tests, procedures. (February 2016, Healio)
- Undetectable & Low-level HIV Viral Replication. (January 2016, Beta Blog)
- Continuous HIV care critical to viral suppression, long-term outcomes. (January 2016, Healio)
- Detectable Viral Load Below 50 Copies Linked to 2-Year Viral Rebound Risk. (December 2015, TheBodyPro)
- Does low-level HIV viral load raise the risk of disease progression and co-morbidities? (November 2015, AIDSmap)
- Post-treatment control of HIV appears rare, biomarkers may help predict viral rebound. (November 2015, AIDSmap)
- Higher Rate of Viral Suppression Found in ACA Enrollees Than in Those Supported Only by Ryan White. (October 2015, TheBodyPro)
- One third of people with HIV in US study are not virally suppressed on antiretroviral therapy. (October 2015, AIDSmap)
- Affordable Care Act coverage improves chances of viral suppression for Americans with HIV. (October 2015, AIDSmap)
- Even People With Suppressed HIV Have a Lower Quality of Life. (September 2015, Poz)
- ‘Undetectable’ is both a milestone and an identity for gay men recently diagnosed with HIV. (September 2015, AIDSmap)
- STIs Have Minimal Effects on Viral Load of People on HIV Treatment. (August 2015, Poz)
- HIV-positive postpartum women who rapidly re-engage with HIV care more likely to have viral suppression in longer term. (August 2015, AIDSmap)
- Same-day start to antiretroviral treatment leads to faster HIV suppression in San Francisco. (July 2015, AIDSmap)
- Men taking HIV treatment have undetectable viral loads in the rectum; sexually transmitted infections make no difference. (April 2015, AIDSmap)
- Fat Gains After Starting HIV Treatment Associated With High Viral Loads. (March 2015, TheBodyPro)
- Financial incentives don’t increase case linkage or viral suppression. (March 2015, Project Inform)
- Antiretroviral treatment early in first stage of HIV infection adds to lasting impact on viral burden. (March 2015, Science Speaks Blog)
- Abdominal Body Fat Gains on ART and Viral Load: It Matters Where You Start. (March 2015, Beta Blog)
- Status disclosure patterns related to HIV care retention, viral load. (February 2015, Healio)
- Financial incentives did not improve linkage to care or viral suppression in US study. (February 2015, AIDSmap)
- HIV Viral Rebounds Predict Fibrosis in HCV-Coinfected People. (February 2015, Hepmag)
- Comprehensive HIV Care Coordination Program Improves Viral Suppression Rates. (January 2015, TheBodyPro)
- Elite controllers may pay a high price for their low viral load. (January 2015, AIDSmap)
- Elite Controllers Hospitalized More Often Than Those Treated For HIV. (January 2015, Poz)
- Financial Incentives for Undetectable Viral Load Are Well Received. (December 2014, Poz)
- There Is a Chance to Build Upon One HIV Vaccine’s Moderate Success. (November 2014, Poz)
- Groundbreaking HIV vaccine’s effects were real – and could be made to work better. (November 2014, AIDSmap)
- Viral Rebound Is Significantly Delayed Among Some Who Interrupt HIV Treatment. (October 2014, TheBodyPro)
- Factors Associated With 10 Years of Continuous Viral Load Suppression on HIV Treatment. (October 2014, TheBodyPro)
- Program Ups Viral Suppression Rates and Retention in HIV Care. (October 2014, Poz)
- Care programme improves clinic attendance and rates of virologic suppression among vulnerable HIV-positive patients in New York. (October 2014, AIDSmap)
- HIV superinfection associated with accelerated viral load increase but has no impact on clinical disease progression. (August 2014, AIDSmap)
- Viral Load Is Best Predictor of CD4 Loss Among South Africans. (June 2014, Poz)
- Study shows prognostic value of viral load monitoring among people living with subtype C HIV in South Africa. (June 2014, AIDSmap)
- Can we provide point-of-care viral load tests in poor countries? (April 2014, AIDSmap)
- Cumulative Viral Load Predicts All-Cause and AIDS Death but Not Non-AIDS Death. (March 2014, NATAP)
- Race, Age, and Transmission Risk Affect Viral Suppression Chances in D.C. Cohort. (March 2014, NATAP)
- No-one with an undetectable viral load, gay or heterosexual, transmits HIV in first two years of PARTNER study. (March 2014, AIDSmap)
- Older age associated with bigger increases in viral load and falls in CD4 count in patients not taking HIV treatment. (February 2014, AIDSmap)
- Big gaps in engagement with HIV care and virological suppression between US states. (February 2014, AIDSmap)
- A Low CD4 Count Despite Low Viral Load Raises Risk of Death. (February 2014, Poz)
- A low CD4 cell count despite viral suppression with HIV treatment is associated with a big increase in mortality risk. (February 2014, AIDSmap)
- Higher pill burden is associated with poorer adherence to HIV therapy and reduced chances of achieving an undetectable viral load. (January 2014, AIDSmap)
- Successful HIV drug resistance testing is possible when viral load is low. (January 2014, AIDSmap)
- Young People With HIV New to Care Have High Viral Loads. (January 2014, Poz)
- Computerised counselling for patients taking HIV therapy can reduce viral load, improve treatment adherence and reduce rates of risky sex. (January 2014, AIDSmap)
- High viral load levels in young people newly linked with HIV care in the US. (January 2014, AIDSmap)
- Short course of ART during primary HIV infection has immunological and virological benefits after treatment is stopped. (December 2013, AIDSmap)
- Implementing viral load testing in resource-limited settings: one size does not fit all. (December 2013, AIDSmap)
- Unsuppressed HIV Viral Load Doubles Heart Disease Risk. (December 2013, Poz)
- Good adherence to HIV treatment, undetectable viral load, reduce the risk of anal infection with high-risk HPV types for MSM with HIV. (December 2013, AIDSmap)
- Is Your Patient’s HIV Diagnosis Truly New? Antiretroviral Drug Testing May Provide Verdict. (November 2013, TheBodyPro)
- Baseline Viral Load, Time to Suppression Dictate Rebound Risk. (November 2013, Poz)
- HIV rebound linked to higher baseline level, slower suppression and low-level viraemia. (October 2013, AIDSmap)
- HIV Rebound Risk May Be Predicted by Baseline Viral Load, Time to Viral Suppression. (October 2013, TheBodyPro)
- Big differences in virological outcomes among people taking first-line HIV therapy in resource-limited settings. (October 2013, AIDSmap)
- HIV monitoring every six months is adequate for people on ART with stable viral suppression. (October 2013, AIDSmap)
- Systematic review confirms that regular viral load monitoring assists adherence to HIV therapy. (September 2013, AIDSmap)
- Even Very Low Viral Loads Can Lead to Treatment Failure. (September 2013, Poz)
- Intravenous AZT does not provide extra protection against vertical transmission in mothers with undetectable viral load. (September 2013, AIDSmap)
- Persisently detectable viral load at any level increases risk of HIV treatment failure. (August 2013, AIDSmap)
- Opportunities being missed for a vaginal delivery for HIV-positive pregnant women in Europe with viral suppression. (August 2013, AIDSmap)
- Viral Shedding May Occur in Semen Despite Undetectable Status. (July 2013, Poz)
- Starting treatment at a CD4 count above 500 reduces the HIV reservoir for people with long-term infection. (July 2013, AIDSmap)
- Five-Drug Cocktail Fights HIV Reservoir During Acute Infection. (July 2013, Poz)
- People with HIV outside continuous care contribute disproportionately to viral load and infection potential, Canadian study finds. (June 2013, AIDSmap)
- Undetectable viral load reduces the risk of HIV-associated anal cancer. (June 2013, AIDSmap)