Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. I took a viral load test 2 times 3 weeks ago and a week ago. The
result was <LDL, meaning Below Detective Level. What does it really
mean? What positive role is it to have a viral load below
detectable level?
Does being <LDL extend a life of a patient?
Had it been >LDL, is it a danger to a life of a person, what is
the difference of 2 people having a viral <LDL and >GDL ?
I am waitng for your professional briefing.
Having your viral load below the level of detection is a very good thing. This means that your immune system can rebuild itself and your T-cells will go up. When this happens you are not susceptible to any of the opportunisitc infections associated with AIDS.
More important is how long you stay undetectable. If you remain undetectable for more than six months, this means that your virus is very sensitive to the antivirals you are taking. And that means you can stay health for many years.
However, some people have a virus that is resistant to many of the antivirals, and their viral loads may not stay undetectable. This means that they are at risk sooner or later to have their T-cells start to drop. But how long it takes for that to happen is quite variable. Some people maintain viral loads in a modest range - say under 20,000 - and may go many, many years before their T-cells drop. And hopefully by that time, new drugs may be available to which their virus is now fully susceptible.
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