Viral load is one of the best tools available to determine if HIV treatment is working. An undetectable viral load is an excellent sign that treatment is working correctly. Viral load can also show when treatment isn't working properly:
Your viral load fails to go undetectable within the first several months of starting a new HIV drug regimen.
Your viral load goes from being undetectable to detectable (note: A one-time "blip" in viral load is not usually a sign that a drug regimen is no longer working).
Your detectable viral load continues increasing, even though you are still taking your prescribed HIV drug regimen.
While viral load can help you determine if your drug regimen isn't working effectively, it cannot explain why this is happening. This is where drug-resistance testing comes in. These tests can help you and your doctor determine if your virus has become resistant to the medications you're taking—or if you haven't yet started treatment yet, help figure out if you were infected with a drug-resistant strain of HIV that might affect your selection of medications.
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