AIDS stands for "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome." AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.
The virus is spread through contact with infected blood or infected fluids such as sexual secretions (stage 1). Over time, the virus attacks the immune system, focusing on special cells called "CD4 cells" which are important in protecting the body from infections and cancers, and the number of these cells starts to fall (stage 2). Eventually, the CD4 cells fall to a critical level and/or the immune system is weakened so much that it can no longer fight off certain types of infections and cancers. This advanced
Stage of infection (stage 3) with HIV is called AIDS.
• Monitor effect of antiretroviral drug therapy.
• Viral load measurement is essential for treatment optimization and should be used to assess therapeutic response and when making changes in therapy.
• Monitor progression of HIV infection and determine when to initiate therapyQuantitative viral load and drug resistance testing allows for monitoring during
treatment.
• The Public Health Service has recommended that T-helper cell (CD4) levels be monitored every 3-6 months in all HIV-infected persons.
• Annual screening for high-risk patients.
• Routine screening as part of prenatal screen in pregnant females.
Blood, serum, plasma, Collect in: Lavender (EDTA), pink (K2EDTA), or plasma preparation tube. Stability collection to initiation of testing On Cells: Ambient: 4 hours; after separation from cells: Refrigerated: 48 hours; Frozen at -20°C: 72 hours; Frozen at -70°C: 4 months. Do not thaw avoid repeated freezing and thawing.
Separate plasma from cells within 24 hours of collection.
Frozen.Refrigerate specimen's at 2°C-80°C.
Heparinized specimens, Hemolysis sample, Quantity not sufficient for analysis, specimen grossly contaminated, specimen too old, frozen whole blood specimen, specimen leaky or tube broken.
Measurement of HIV RNA (viral load) provides a direct assessment of viremia and should be used in conjunction with CD4+ T-cell counts. The baseline (pre-treatment) HIV-1 RNA level, combined with the baseline level of CD4+ T-cells, predicts progression to AIDS. Viral load measurement is essential for treatment optimization and should be used to assess therapeutic response and when making changes in therapy Specific amplification curve for HIV indicate presence of HIV viruses in given sample. Whereas amplification of the internal control indicates absence of HIV this test is designed to detect HIV only. Negative result does not rule out HIV infections. This test can quantitate HIV RNA over the range 30-109 IU/mL. However this does not mean that lower copies or higher copies cannot be detected. The lower copies can be detected in some cases. This is a limitation of the currently available extraction systems. A negative result does not preclude the presence of HIV infection because results depend on adequate/proper patient sample storage and transportation, absence of inhibitors and sufficient RNA to be detected.