FACTS ABOUT HIV/AIDS

What does undetectable viral load mean?

When you test positive for HIV, you will be offered treatment and the drugs are called Antiretroviral (ARV). Typically, if your HIV medication is working, and you take them exactly as prescribed, your viral load should reach undetectable levels within 3-6 months after you begin treatment.

There has been a lot of confusion over the issue of viral load and testing positive for HIV. I will try to explain this so that it becomes clear to everyone and should help people to stay safe and not let ignorance kill us.

Viral load is only tested in those that are HIV positive because they have the virus so checking the amount of the load is important in monitoring their treatment.

The term “viral load” refers to the amount of HIV in a sample of your blood. When your viral load is high, you have more HIV in your body, and that means your immune system is not fighting HIV as well.

A viral load test is a lab test that measures the number of HIV virus particles in a milliliter of your blood. These particles are called “copies.” A viral load test helps provide information on your health status and how well antiretroviral therapy (ART – treatment with HIV medicines) is controlling the virus. ART can’t cure HIV, but it can help you live a longer, healthier life and reduce your risk of HIV transmission.

The goal of ART is to move your viral load down, ideally to undetectable levels. In general, your viral load will be declared “undetectable” if it is under 40 to 75 copies in a sample of your blood. The exact number depends on the lab that analyzes your test.

Having an “undetectable” viral load doesn’t mean that the virus is completely gone from your body, just that it is below what a lab test can find. You still have HIV and you are still HIV positive and need to stay on ART to remain healthy.If one is HIV negative, then they do not have the virus in their body and there is no need to check the viral load because it will be ZERO.

If my viral load is undetectable, does that mean I am cured?

No, “undetectable” does not mean you are cured or that the virus is gone from your body. It means that the virus is below the level that a lab test can find. You still have HIV and need to stay on ART to remain healthy.

Can I infect anyone with undetectable viral load?

Having an undetectable viral load greatly lowers your chance of transmitting the virus to your sexual partner who is HIV-negative. However, even when your viral load is undetectable, HIV can still exist in semen, vaginal and rectal fluids, breast milk, and other bodily fluids. For this reason, you should continue to take steps to prevent HIV transmission. So, the answer is; yes you can infect other people even if your viral load is “undetectable”. Remember “undetectable ” means that the virus is below the level that a lab test can find, i. e. below 40-75 copies in a sample of blood. This explains why a person with undetectable viral load can have unprotected sex with different partners and not all of them will be infected. This practice is wrong and the advice is that an HIV positive person should have protected sex regardless of the level of viral load.