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Viral Load
The viral load test counts how much virus is in a milliliter
of blood. This test can be used to monitor disease progression,
assess whether treatment is indicated, and assess whether
treatment is working. More virus in the body usually
means faster disease progression. A person with a low
viral load generally will not be started on treatment
immediately. Treatment is indicated when a person’s
viral load reaches or surpasses 30,000-55,000 copies,
depending on the type of test used. Generally once a
person starts treatment, the viral load is done repeatedly
throughout treatment to determine whether or not the
virus is responding to the medication. Viral load has
also been determined to relate to a person’s infectiousness;
when the viral load is high the person is more likely
to transmit the virus to another person than when the
viral load is low. It is possible for an HIV positive
person to have an undetectable viral load—this
is great news! But it does not mean that you are HIV-free.
It does means that your body is doing well at keeping
the HIV in check. For more information, visit http://www.aidsmap.com/cms1043815.asp.
CD4
The CD4 test measures the amount of CD4 cells in a milliliter
of blood. CD4 cells, also called t-helper cells, are
a part of your immune system which help to protect you
against infections. Normal fluctuations in CD4 cell
levels are common, but if the level drops low for an
extended period of time, that can make a person vulnerable
to other infections. A healthy person usually has a
range of 800-1200 CD4 cells, and initiation of HIV treatment
is recommended once a person’s levels sink below
500. A person is diagnosed with AIDS if they are HIV-positive
and their CD4 level drops below 200. CD4 levels can
be a general indication of immune system health, and
can also be used to determine medication options. For
more detailed information, visit http://www.aidsmap.com/cms1043809.asp.
A person with a low CD4 count can be put at risk for
many opportunistic infections. For information on opportunistic
infections, click
here.
CBC
A CBC test, or complete blood count test, measures all
parts of the blood, including the white blood cells,
hemoglobin, hematocrit and platelets. This test can
be used to measure overall health, and can also be an
indicator if the body is currently fighting off an unknown
infection or if the person is suffering from anemia.
Chem Screen
The Chem Screen test measures chemicals from several
vital organs (heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas) to
see whether they are functioning properly. This test
can help detect signs of heart disease and liver damage,
which can be common among HIV positive clients.
What is often overlooked
While HIV is a part of your health status, so are a
host of other important topics. Cancer, hepatitis, cholesterol,
mental health…all these elements and many others
work together to create your picture of health, not
just your HIV. Be sure that your doctor covers other
important health topics during your regular visits.
A list of important things to cover are listed at http://www.hivplusmag.com/column.asp?id=773&categoryid=1
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