HIV RNA (viral load)

HIV RNA (viral load)

Clinical significance

HIV - human immunodeficiency virus , human acquired immunodeficiency virus causes a chronic disease resulting in progressive immune impairment. Infection occurs most often by blood, sexual contact or vertically from mother to child during pregnancy or lactation. The virus attacks the cells of the immune system CD4 T lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages. In the course of untreated infection, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) develops. In the diagnosis of HIV infection, it is recommended to test for the detection of p24 HIV antigen (approximately 14 days after infection) and anti-HIV 1/2 antibodies (4-12 weeks after infection). Identification of genetic variants of HIV-1 with reduced sensitivity to drugs on should be performed in patientsów untreated with newly diagnosed infection and also in patientsów treated with treatment failure, in case of change of treatment, in pregnant women. Acute retroviral infection is diagnosed on the basis of HIV viral load determined by PCR. During very intense replication, when viral load levels reach values exceeding 100 millionów copies/mL of serum, the virus spreads, forming tissue and cellular reservoirs. Viremia is used to monitor therapy and assess its effectiveness.

Patient Preparation

Material: Serum