Your CD4 and viral load are the main blood tests used to monitor HIV.
CD4 count
The CD4 count tells you about your immune system. Results are given as cells per cubic millimetre (cells/mm3).
The range for HIV negative adults is from about 400 to 1600. Getting above 500 is considered normal.
Even with a very low CD4 count, ART can boost your immune system much higher.
The CD4 percentage (CD4%) is also good to know in case your CD4 count has unexpected changes.
Viral load (VL)
The VL test shows how much virus is in a small sample of blood. Results are given as copies of the virus per millilitre (copies/mL).
VL tests show how well ART is working. The aim is to reduce this to less than 50 copies/mL. This is called undetectable.
If VL doesn’t become undetectable within 3-6 months, or it increases later, you might need to change treatment.
This is because the drugs might not be working or you may not be taking them correctly.
