Question

Is an increase of 500 copies in my viral load normal?

4 May 2012. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.

I have recently been diagnosed in a routine check up.

I had a CD4 count of 550 and viral load of 1500. I was told by the doctor that this is a good sign as if I caught it when I think I did the viral load would normally have been much higher.

I had my second test that has come back with a CD4 of 586 and viral load of 2050.

As my first test came back so low, I was meant to go back in 4 months for my next test.

Should I be concerned by the increase as the first and second test were only taken 4 weeks apart and I had a cold at the time of the first test yet producing a lower viral load?

Answer

Answer: Rebecca McDowall

First of all I am sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. Can I ask if you are receiving any support at this time to help you to deal with this?

Your different viral load results are not something that a doctor would be concerned by. In fact your doctor would not consider these results to be different at all. This is because viral load test results have a three-fold margin of error. This means that your original test result of 1500 shows that your viral load is somewhere in the range of 500-4500. And your second viral load at 2050 means your viral load is somewhere between 680-6150. Viral loads vary between samples. If you had had more than one viral load test on the same day they would have come out at different numbers, some higher and some lower.

Your viral load will go up over time. But a viral load of anything under 10,000 is considered to be very low and the majority of people don’t start treatment until their viral load is between 50,000-100,000. So you can see that your results are still very low.

While you are not on treatment your CD4 count is more significant that your viral load. The CD4 count is a measure of how strong your immune system is. An HIV negative person has a CD4 count of between 400-1600. In the UK it is recommended that HIV positive people start treatment when their CD4 is around 350 or below. Your CD4 count is therefore within the normal range and this suggests your immune system is still strong.

Please take a look at this link for more information about viral load and CD4.

Please do let me know if you have any further questions now, or in the future.