Description
An HIV-1 quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) blood test measures the amount of HIV-1 RNA in a person's blood. This test can help diagnose HIV, monitor disease progression, and assess treatment response.
Purpose
- Diagnose HIV: Can be used to diagnose HIV in infants and children under 18 months old
- Monitor disease progression: Can be used to track how HIV-1 disease progresses over time
- Assess treatment response: Can be used to see how well a person's body responds to antiretroviral therapy
- Predict prognosis: Can be used to estimate how a person's HIV-1 infection will progress over time
- Determine drug resistance: Can be used to see if a person has developed drug resistance to antiretroviral therapy
- Determine compliance: Can be used to see if a person is taking their antiretroviral therapy as prescribed
Fasting not necessary
