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Index 
3.8 Why 3+ drugs are used 
3.9 Reducing viral load below 50 
3.10 Treatment choice
Glossary 
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ARV anti-retroviral (treatment for HIV).
HIV human immunodeficiency virus.
resistance when the genetic structure of an organism changes in ways that stops a drug from working.
resistance test test to show changes to HIV that cause resistance.
undetectable an amount smaller than the test can measure. For viral load tests, this means below 400 or below 50, depending on the make of test.
viral load measurement of the amount of HIV virus in your body. Viral load is measured in copies/mL.
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If you reduce your viral load to under 50 copies/mL (called 'undetectable'), and you take all the drugs on time, you are unlikely to develop resistance. You can then use the same drugs for many years.
Combinations of 3 drugs are able to do this for 50-80% of people starting treatment for the first time – even if resistance tests are not available to test if the drugs will work.
Although people start treatment to improve their health, and to stay healthy, one of the main goals of treatment in most guidelines is to reduce viral load to undetectable levels (less than 50 copies/mL).
Viral load should go down by at least 90% (1 log) after 1 month of treatment, and get to below 50 copies/mL after 3-6 months.
Index 3.8 Why 3+ drugs are used 3.9 Reducing viral load below 50 3.10 Treatment choice
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Last updated on Monday 26th November 2007.
