Q and A

Question

What does 20 ‘copies’ mean?

21 November 2021. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Disclosure, HIV transmission, Sero different couples, Sexual health.

I am HIV positive and this year I decided to to date. I disclosed my status to someone and he left me saying that he doesn’t want to be infected. My heart broke. In October I went to collect my medication, and I saw my result. The result said less than 20 copies. I don’t know what this means, please help.

Answer

Answer: Josh Peasegood

Hi, how are you doing?

I am so sorry someone decided to leave for fear of being infected. Disclosing your status is personal and never feel that you have to tell someone.

Results for HIV blood tests are given as a number of ‘copies’. This refers to your viral load. It is a measure of how well managed HIV is and if you can transmit the disease. Any value lower than 200 is considered undetectable and you cannot pass on HIV. Your result of 20 is excellent and means your medication is suppressing the virus.

If you have any more questions please do get in touch,

Josh.

4 comments

  1. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Lethiwe, congratulations on your pregnancy. It is great that you are on treatment with a suppressed viral load.

    Your viral load being this low means you have reduced the risk of transmission to as low as possible. The risk will be reduced further by baby being given their own treatment for a short while after birth. This is explained here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/infant-meds-when-the-mother-is-living-with-hiv

    HIV positive women all over the world go on to have healthy HIV negative babies. By already doing what you are (treatment with a suppressed viral load) the risk of HIV transmission to baby is less than 1%. There is no reason to think baby will not be HIV negative.

  2. Lethiwe •

    Hi I am pregnant nd am hiv positive nd my viral load is <20 copies per ml so my question is, is it possible to give birth to a positive child?

  3. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Lewis, this is an excellent viral load. It means your treatment is working and HIV is suppressed as much as it can be.

    As the result is less than 20, it means your viral load is so small the test cannot detect the actual number. This means your viral load cannot be suppressed any further. When staying on treatment, this is how your viral load should remain.

  4. Lewis •

    My result came out less than 20. I want to ask what is the final stage of the virus load? And secondly, what is the meaning of less than 20? Thanks