Table of Contents
- 1 Can I test HIV positive if my viral load is undetectable?
- 2 Do HIV antibodies stay in your blood forever?
- 3 What are the symptoms of high viral load?
- 4 What does it mean when viral load is undetectable?
- 5 What is normal viral load?
- 6 What happens to HIV antibody tests when you are undetectable?
- 7 What do the results of my HIV test mean?
Having an undetectable of zero viral load does not mean you are HIV negative. If you were to do another HIV antibody test it would come back as being positive.
Do HIV antibodies stay in your blood forever?
Unlike most other germs (viruses, bacteria, fungi) HIV stays in your body forever. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Immunodeficiency means that your immune system isn’t working properly.
As viral load increases, this high level of viral activity produces symptoms in up to 80\% people. HIV can cause a range symptoms that include night sweats, fevers, weakness and tiredness and, more rarely, mouth ulcers. The immune system reacts to viral load in the blood by producing antibodies to fight HIV.
How long does viral load decrease?
For almost everyone who starts taking their HIV medication daily as prescribed, viral load will drop to an undetectable level in six months or less. Continuing to take HIV medications as directed is imperative to stay undetectable.
Does Covid viral load make a difference?
Not necessarily. Some studies seem to show no difference in viral loads when they compare infected people with symptoms to infected people without symptoms. Scientists continue to study the subject to try to confirm the results and figure out the reasons.
An undetectable viral load is where antiretroviral treatment (ART) has reduced your HIV to such small quantities that it can no longer be detected by standard blood tests. People living with HIV who have an undetectable viral load cannot pass HIV on through sex. Being undetectable does not mean your HIV is cured.
The results of a viral load test are described as the number of copies of HIV RNA in a millilitre of blood. But your doctor will normally just talk about your viral load as a number. For example, a viral load of 10,000 would be considered low; 100,000 would be considered high.
What happens to HIV antibody tests when you are undetectable?
HIV ANTIBODIES WHEN YOU’RE UNDETECTABLE. Antibodies are still present in individuals living with HIV—even people who have suppressed their viral load. That means people living with HIV will still test positive for HIV on an antibody HIV test even if their viral load is undetectable. The virus may be undetectable,…
What is an undetectable HIV viral load?
For those who are still unsure, an HIV-positive person can achieve undetectable levels after undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART). A level of a person’s HIV viral load is what causes them to be more or less likely to transmit the disease. An undetectable viral load reduces the likelihood of transmission by 96 percent.
Can a positive HIV antibody test be used to confirm diagnosis?
However, in these cases, a subsequent positive HIV antibody test should be used to confirm the diagnosis. Keeping your viral load low will keep your immune system healthy, make complications of HIV less likely and help you live longer.
What do the results of my HIV test mean?
Your test results help your doctor follow what’s happening with your infection, how well your treatment is working, and guide treatment choices. HIV viral load predicts how fast the disease will progress, while other tests, like the CD4 count, indicate how much damage the virus has already caused.