After hiv positive what are the test should be carried out and after what interval.

Question

Testing positive for hiv often leaves a person overwhelmed with questions and concerns. It?s important to remember that hiv is a manageable disease that can be treated with hiv medicines. The first step after testing positive is to see a health care provider, even if you don?t feel sick. People with hiv work closely with their health care providers to decide when to start hiv medicines and what hiv medicines to take. The use of hiv medicines to treat hiv infection is called antiretroviral therapy (art). People on art take a combination of hiv medicines (called an hiv treatment regimen) every day. Art prevents hiv from multiplying and reduces the amount of hiv in the body. Art can?t cure hiv, but it helps people with hiv live longer, healthier lives and reduces the risk of hiv transmission. People with hiv should start art as soon as possible. In people with hiv who have certain conditions, such as certain hiv-related illnesses and coinfections, it?s especially important to start art right away. Deciding when to start art and what hiv medicines to take begins with an hiv baseline evaluation. The following lab tests are included in an hiv baseline evaluation. Cd4 count a cd4 count measures the number of cd4 cells in a sample of blood. Cd4 cells are infection-fighting cells of the immune system. Hiv destroys cd4 cells, which damages the immune system. A damaged immune system makes it hard for the body to fight off infections. Treatment with hiv medicines prevents hiv from destroying cd4 cells. The higher a person?s cd4 count is, the better. Art is recommended as soon as possible for everyone with hiv, no matter what their cd4 count is. However, a low cd4 count (below 200 cells/mm3) increases the urgency to start art. Viral load a viral load test measures how much virus is in the blood (hiv viral load). A goal of hiv treatment is to keep a person?s viral load so low that the virus can?t be detected by a viral load test. The cd4 count and viral load test are both used to monitor the effectiveness of hiv medicines once art is started. Drug-resistance testing drug-resistance testing identifies which, if any, hiv medicines will not be effective against a person?s strain of hiv. Health care providers consider a person?s drug resistance test results when recommending an hiv regimen. An hiv baseline evaluation also includes other tests, such as a blood cell count, kidney and liver function tests, tests to check the levels of glucose and certain fats in the blood, and tests for sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis.

Sajeev Kumar · Accepted Answer

Testing positive for hiv often leaves a person overwhelmed with questions and concerns. It?s important to remember that hiv is a manageable disease that can be treated with hiv medicines. The first step after testing positive is to see a health care provider, even if you don?t feel sick. People with hiv work closely with their health care providers to decide when to start hiv medicines and what hiv medicines to take. The use of hiv medicines to treat hiv infection is called antiretroviral therapy (art). People on art take a combination of hiv medicines (called an hiv treatment regimen) every day. Art prevents hiv from multiplying and reduces the amount of hiv in the body. Art can?t cure hiv, but it helps people with hiv live longer, healthier lives and reduces the risk of hiv transmission. People with hiv should start art as soon as possible. In people with hiv who have certain conditions, such as certain hiv-related illnesses and coinfections, it?s especially important to start art right away. Deciding when to start art and what hiv medicines to take begins with an hiv baseline evaluation. The following lab tests are included in an hiv baseline evaluation. Cd4 count a cd4 count measures the number of cd4 cells in a sample of blood. Cd4 cells are infection-fighting cells of the immune system. Hiv destroys cd4 cells, which damages the immune system. A damaged immune system makes it hard for the body to fight off infections. Treatment with hiv medicines prevents hiv from destroying cd4 cells. The higher a person?s cd4 count is, the better. Art is recommended as soon as possible for everyone with hiv, no matter what their cd4 count is. However, a low cd4 count (below 200 cells/mm3) increases the urgency to start art. Viral load a viral load test measures how much virus is in the blood (hiv viral load). A goal of hiv treatment is to keep a person?s viral load so low that the virus can?t be detected by a viral load test. The cd4 count and viral load test are both used to monitor the effectiveness of hiv medicines once art is started. Drug-resistance testing drug-resistance testing identifies which, if any, hiv medicines will not be effective against a person?s strain of hiv. Health care providers consider a person?s drug resistance test results when recommending an hiv regimen. An hiv baseline evaluation also includes other tests, such as a blood cell count, kidney and liver function tests, tests to check the levels of glucose and certain fats in the blood, and tests for sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis.