Q and A

Question

My CD4 is high, am I undetectable?

I have a high CD4 count, does this mean I’m undetectable?

Answer

Thanks for getting in touch.

Even if a person has a high CD4 count this doesn’t mean that they have an undetectable viral load. A persons viral load will only be undetectable, and consistently if they are on medication. It ARVs that help a persons viral load to be undetectable.

4 comments

  1. Roy Trevelion

    Hi Nelz,
    Yes, if you have another HIV test it will come back positive. The 2 tests that you have when taking HIV treatment (ART) are for CD4 count and viral load. Your CD4 count tells you how strong your immune system is, and the viral load test tells you how much HIV is in the blood. The aim of ART is to get the viral load test to show HIV is undetectable. But HIV is still there, there is just a tiny amount of it. Being undetectable means your viral load is below 50 copies. There are more questions and answers on CD4 and viral load here.

  2. Nelz

    I’m HIV positive and taking my treatment, so I want to find out if I go test I again will it still show the positive or what?

  3. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Jr,

    An increase in CD4 can definitely be an indication that ARVs are working. However to know for sure you’ll need to have a viral load test. It does sound however like you’re on the right track.

  4. Jr

    Hi! How are you all doing?

    After a month of treatment I went to a clinic to have my CD4 retested and result shows an increase on my CD4 count (227 to 266) and CD4 percentage (13.93 to 16.28). I am just wondering with the new results is it safe to say that my medication is working and I don’t have drug resistance? Viral load test is quite expensive here and I am still saving for it. Hope to hear from you soon.

    Much Love from the Philippines

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