Question
Does having a high viral load at the start lead to a poor prognosis?
23 May 2024. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Newly diagnosed.
I was diagnosed positive as a result of blood tests during a period of severe illness, v high fevers, various inflammations etc. This occurred within three weeks of actual infection, as the likely event was identifiable.
Viral load was in excess of log7 (too high for the equipment to put a figure on it), CD4 was around 550.
Eight months later on ART the viral load was down to 75 and CD 660.
My question is does this very high VL and the severe primary infection symptoms have any future implications? The clinic staff seem to think not
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
A viral load of Log7 suggests a viral load greater than 1000000. A viral load this high often means recent infection.
It is great to hear how well you have responded to treatment.
You now have a viral load considered undetectable (anything below 200) and your CD4 count has remained within a healthy range (430-1690).
The initial high viral load is not prognostic of the progression of HIV. Your clinical staff are correct in that this does not impact how HIV is affecting you.
You have responded well to treatment and this is the biggest factor which determines the course of HIV. As you have both results within healthy ranges, the impact of HIV on your health is now minimal, if at all. There are no specific implications you need to be worried about because of the initial high viral load.
Josh.
Hi TTRO, what you have described is not a risk for HIV. You had no reason to start PEP given that this is low to zero risk of transmission.
Please see here for more information about testing and transmission: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
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