less than 50 HIV-1 RNA copies HIV-1
Understanding a HIV-1 RNA Copies Count Below 50
Having a HIV-1 RNA copies count below 50 copies/mL can be an important milestone in a person’s treatment journey. According to the HIV.gov website, a “viral load test measures the amount of HIV in the blood”. The number of copies of the HIV-1 virus in a milliliter of blood is known as the viral load. A viral load below 50 copies is often seen as a “low or undetectable” status.
If a person is on antiretroviral therapy (ART), a viral load of 50 or below is generally considered a success and is an indication that the treatment is working effectively. It means that the virus is kept at check and does not replicate as quickly as before. This in turn, decreases the risk of HIV transmission, mortality, and hospital admission.
When looking at counts that are below 50, it is important to remember that having a lower count does not necessarily mean that the virus is completely gone. A low count may also be a sign of poor adherence to treatment or resistance to the drugs used. Special tests may be conducted to identify any variants of the HIV-1 virus that are resistant to the drugs.
Advantages of Having a HIV-1 RNA Copies Count Below 50
- Reduction of HIV transmission to others – the lower the count, the less likely one is to pass on the virus.
- An improvement in CD4+ cell count and CD4+ to CD8+ cell ratio – these are the cells that the body uses to fight infection.
- Reduction of HIV related mortality and hospital admissions.
- An improvement of overall quality of life.
Conclusion
Having a HIV-1 RNA copies count below 50 copies/mL is an important indication that a person’s HIV treatment is working effectively. It has several advantages such as a reduction of HIV transmission and an improvement of overall quality of Life. However, it is important to remember that having a low viral load does not necessarily mean that the virus is gone. Special tests may be conducted to identify any drug resistant variants of HIV-1 that may be present.