Undetectable!

Exciting news!  My sister's viral load is undetectable!  She still has HIV but it means that her treatment is working to lower her viral load, the amount the virus in her blood. Here are some answers from my sister Jessica's blog:

What is the Viral Load?

o       Viral load is the term used to describe the amount of HIV in your blood. The result of a viral load test is described as the number of 'copies' of HIV RNA per milliliter (copies/ml). The more HIV in your blood, the faster your CD4 cells (immune system cells that fight infection) reduce, and the greater your risk of developing symptoms in the next few years.

 What does it mean to have an Undetectable Viral Load?

o       The amount of HIV in your blood is so low that a viral load test can’t detect the virus. However, having an undetectable viral load doesn’t mean you’re cured. You still have HIV. And although having an undetectable viral load reduces the risk of HIV transmission, you can still infect another person with the virus.

Here is a great and simple depiction of what an undetectable viral load means.

And here is a great blog post by a mom that adopted a positive little girl.  This is an amazing family so check it out!

So blessed,

Stephanie