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| Q: I was wondering if one starts medication (anti-retroviral treatment) and through this suppresses their viral load to undetectable levels, does this also mean that one has no more antibodies in the blood which could be detected by a normal HIV test? I am talking about the rapid tests they use to test you in clinics, not the more accurate lab tests. |
| - Anon |
| A: No, undetectable does not equal negative. Even when anti-retroviral medications suppress HIV plasma viral load to undetectable levels, HIV positive people still have circulating anti-HIV antibodies (proteins) in their blood that would be detected by HIV-antibody tests, whether rapid or lab tests. When using any rapid testing techniques, negative tests are regarded as definitive, but positive tests need confirmation by standard serology (laboratory tests.) Having an undetectable viral load does not mean that you are no longer capable of infecting someone with HIV. |
| - The Informer Team |
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| Q: I am confused about the term opportunistic infection what exactly is this? |
| - Anon |
A: An opportunist is someone who takes advantage of an opportunity. Therefore an opportunistic infection is an infection that takes advantage of the bodys weakened defenses and occurs in someone with a compromised immune system. It is the chinks in the armour of the immune system that provide the "opportunity" for the bacteria, fungi, parasite, or virus to invade. Opportunistic infections are often due to unusual germs that would not ordinarily infect someone with a normal immune system. Some of the opportunistic infections seen in people living with HIV and AIDS include PCP (pneumocystis jirovicii pneumonia), candida esophagitis, and toxoplasma gondii brain infections. So if you are living with HIV, it is very important that you keep your immune system strong to prevent giving these infections the opportunity to take hold. Hope that this information helps.
Stay well. |
| - Informer |
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