HIV Disease and AIDS
Managing HIV Disease: Getting the Most from Your Therapy
Keeping Track: How the Progress of HIV Disease Is Measured
Viral Load
Viral load is a measurement of the amount of HIV in your blood. If HIV disease were a train, the viral load would tell you how quickly it was moving. Based on a blood test, it tells the doctor how far your HIV disease has progressed and how well your antiviral medications are working.
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At one time, viral load was used only in research, but now Canadian doctors use it in their practice to help track the condition of their HIV patients. |
CD4 Cell Counts
Doctors also check the blood to measure the number of infection-fighting CD4 cells. The higher your CD4 cell count, the better your body is responding to therapy and the less likely you are to get certain kinds of infections. Your CD4 count may vary widely, however, so do not rely on any one test as a sure sign of how your immune system is doing.
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Print a copy of the tracking chart and use it to follow your viral load and CD4 counts over time. |
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