Does a Rebound in Viral Load Mean that Drug Resistance Has Occurred?
Figuring out if a regimen isn’t working properly can be determined in three ways: • A viral load that fails to go undetectable within the first few months of therapy. • A viral load that goes from being undetectable to detectable (note: a one-time “blip” in viral load isn’t usually a sign that a drug regimen is no longer working). • A detectable viral load continues to increase, even though you’re still on therapy. While a viral load test can help determine whether or not a regimen is still working correctly, it can’t explain why a regimen is no longer working the way it should. A detectable or increasing viral load doesn’t necessarily mean that drug-resistance mutations have developed. It may be due to poor adherence or poor absorption. While these can eventually lead to the emergence of drug-resistance mutations, viral load can become detectable before they develop. It’s important to determine the reason why viral load is increasing soon after it becomes detectable. If resistance mut
