The World Health Organization estimated that 38 million people worldwide were living with HIV at the end of 2019.1
Today, measurement of blood plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration (known as HIV viral load) using nucleic
acid- based molecular diagnostic assays has been established as the standard of care in assessing
HIV-positive patient prognosis and response to antiretroviral therapy. Assessment of viral load levels
is a strong predictor of the rate of disease progression and, by itself or in combination with CD4 T-cell counts, has great prognostic value.2-7
The need for a rapid HIV viral load test with flexibility to adapt to any throughput requirements and random access for urgent samples is greater than ever because each individual patient deserves better care.
(1) WHO HIV/AIDS Key Fact updates July 2020. Accessed July 2020. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids
(2) Katzenstein DA, et all. The relation of virologic and immunologic markers to clinical outcomes after nucleoside therapy in HIV-infected adults with 200 to 500 CD4 cells per cubic millimeter. AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study 175 Virology Study Team. N Engl J Med. 1996 Oct 10;335(15):1091-8.
(3)Mellors JW, et al. Plasma viral load and CD4+ lymphocytes as prognostic markers of HIV-1 infection. Ann Intern Med. 1997 Jun 15;126(12):946-54.
(4)Mellors JW, et al. Prognosis in HIV-1 infection predicted by the quantity of virus in plasma. Science. 1996 May 24;272(5265):1167-70.
(5)O'Brien WA, et al Changes in plasma HIV-1 RNA and CD4+ lymphocyte counts and the risk of progression to AIDS. Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study Group on AIDS. N Engl J Med. 1996 Feb 15;334(7):426-31.
(6) Ruiz L, et al. Quantitative HIV-1 RNA as a marker of clinical stability and survival in a cohort of 302 patients with a mean CD4 cell count of 300 x 10(6)/l. Aids. 1996 Sep;10(11):F39-44.
(7)Saag MS, et al. HIV viral load markers in clinical practice. Nat Med. 1996 Jun;2(6):625-9.