A drop below 200 usually indicates damage sufficient to lead to the risk of opportunistic infections. The ability of a disease-causing organism to continue growing and reproducing despite the presence and activity of a drug or drugs designed to suppress that organism's growth. Once resistant mutants are produced, they can grow rapidly despite the continuing presence of the drug. People with higher HIV levels are more at risk for developing drug-resistant HIV, as are people with developed resistance to similar drugs. The process of growth, spread and development of symptoms and effects of HIV disease, including the general decline of the health of the immune system.
Individuals have a highly variable rate of disease progression.
The amount of virus measurable in blood or other fluid or tissue. The viral load number has been shown to be a good predictor of the rate of HIV disease progression. It does not mean the virus is not there, just that it is too low to measure in the bloodstream with the standard test. This document was provided by Project Inform .