I have been living with HIV for over seventeen years and have overcome many and varied forms of chronic conditions associated with my HIV status. Between 2004 and 2008 I was afflicted with TB Meningitis, two strokes, shingles, pneumonia and Cancer (Angioimmunoblasticlymphadenopathy, a rare and aggressive form of cancer of the glands, associated with HIV) and later, in 2018 a massive heart attack resulting in a double bypass.

 

In spite of the above afflictions, my viral load has remained undetectable at under 40 copies per millilitre since 2009.

 

HIV is manageable! We have all heard that by now. 

 

BUT, did you know U=U means Undetectable = Untransmittable?

 

People living with undetectable levels of HIV cannot pass the virus on through any form of sexual activity.

 

Effectively, if a person follows their medication regimen and has an undetectable HIV viral load, they have no risk of passing the HIV virus on to anyone.

 

A person’s viral load is considered ‘durably undetectable’ when all viral load test results are undetectable for at least six months after their first undetectable test result. Most people will need to be on treatment for 7 to 12 months to have a durably undetectable viral load.

 

If you are undetectable, you will still test positive. This is to be expected and does not mean that your medication is not working. You are essentially not infectious.

 

Why will you still test positive for HIV even if you are undetectable?

 

Antibody tests do not detect HIV. Instead, they identify antibodies that the immune system produces in response to HIV infection.

 

Antibodies are still present in individuals living with HIV—even people who have suppressed their viral load. Meaning that people living with HIV will still test positive for HIV on an antibody HIV test even if their viral load is undetectable. The virus may be undetectable, but antibodies are still present and detectable.

 

What is an Antibody?

An antibody is a protein produced by the body’s immune system when it detects harmful substances called antigens.

 

What is an antigen?

Any substance that causes the body to make an immune response against that substance. Antigens include toxins, chemicals, bacteria, viruses, or other substances entering from outside the body. Body tissues and cells, including cancer cells, also have antigens that can cause an immune response.

 

In the early days of HIV, we used antibody and ELISA tests, and some countries still do. Newer tests are available and often combine an antibody test with an antigen or protein assay, which provides added sensitivity for early infection and, consequently, detection.

 

Antibodies allow our bodies to remember a specific infectious agent—like a particular strain of flu—and then respond swiftly if exposed to it again in the future. On developing antibodies to a virus or in reaction to a vaccine, we may host those antibodies for life.

 

You will remain undetectable as long as you continue to take your HIV treatments as prescribed!

 

A chronic condition can affect anyone. How you manage it is what makes the difference.

 

You can get cover of up to 1 million rand for your chronic health condition and up to 10 million cover for your HIV status, SMS LIVING to 33857 to find out more, I did!

 

Read more on Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/art/index.html

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