Useful For

Diagnosis of HIV infection in individuals with acute or early HIV infection

Quantifying plasma HIV RNA levels (viral load) in individuals living with HIV:

• Before initiating anti-HIV drug therapy (baseline viral load)
• Who may have developed HIV drug resistance while on anti-HIV therapy
• Who may be noncompliant with anti-HIV drug therapy

Monitoring HIV disease progression before or during antiretroviral drug therapy

Aliases

• Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
• AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
• HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
• HIV RNA
• HIV PCR
• HIV Quantitation
• HIV viral load

Specimen

Specimen Type	Whole Blood	Plasma/Serum
Specimen Volume	Minimum volume of Whole Blood required is 3ml	Minimum volume of Plasma/Serum required is 1ml
Rejected Due To	Anticoagulants other than EDTA, Hemolysis	Lipemia, Icteric
Notice	The samples should be stored for not more than 1 days at 2-8°C. For longer delay, freeze at -70°C or below and transport on dry ice. Whole blood must be processed within 6 hours after collection.

Clicical Information

HIV has been isolated from patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex, and from asymptomatic infected individuals at high-risk for AIDS. Accounting for more than 99% of HIV infection in the world, HIV is transmitted by sexual contact, by exposure to infected blood or blood products, from an infected pregnant woman to fetus in utero or during birth, or from an infected mother to infant via breast-feeding.

Quantitative HIV RNA level in plasma is an important surrogate marker in assessing the risk of disease progression and monitoring response to anti-HIV drug therapy in the routine medical care of individuals living with HIV.

HIV RNA PCR

Method Description

The Realtime PCR HIV RNA Test Taqman Technology:

Status	Days	Analytic Time	Maximum Laboratory Time
Routine	Everyday	8h	1days