What is U=U? HIV infection transmission
- What is U=U? U=U is an abbreviation for: (Undetectable = Un-transmittable). It is a concept that means that persons with HIV, receiving ART treatment properly, and their HIV viral load test is undetectable, they cannot spread HIV infection to others. To spread infection, the HIV patient must have enough viral load.
- U=U is also part of the ART international campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of using Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), where more than 720 organizations have joined from about 90 countries.
When can U=U be applied?
This status of U=U, using treatment (ART) depends on the following criteria:
- Using ART medications regularly for several months.
- The viral load test is undetectable for six months.
- Continuing to take the meds every day.
- How does HIV patient become not infectious?
- When HIV viral load is undetectable, that means there is too little virus in his body fluids for an infection to occur.
Staus of HIV test
- If someone on ART, his viral load is undetectable, and he cannot spread infection to others, he is still an HIV patient not yet cured. Always his HIV test will be positive.
- If the person is not on ART therapy and his viral load is undetectable, he is considered negative (not HIV infected).
When can infection spread?
Most infections need a certain quantity or concentration of virus for transmission. For example, viral load might need to be above 500 or 1000 or 1500 copies/mL to be infectious. The actual upper limit is not known but being undetectable is too low to spread infection.
SUMMARY
If you are an HIV patient receiving ART, your viral load test gets undetectable for several months, that mean the following: The Art is working good for you and virus is suppressed. You can live normal life as long as you can keep the viral load undetectable. Also, that means you are no longer able to transfer the virus to others, U=U.
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