Tag

Viral Loads

All articles tagged with #viral loads

health2 years ago

"Rethinking HIV Communication: A Study on Healthcare Providers' Language"

A new study suggests that healthcare providers should reconsider how they communicate with people living with HIV about low viral loads, as increasingly sensitive tests are causing confusion over the "Undetectable = Untransmittable" message. The study argues that reporting specific viral load figures below 200 copies/ml could be a harmful medical practice, leading to mistrust and confusion among patients and providers. It recommends clearer communication and potentially hiding precise values below 200 copies/ml, emphasizing that anything less than 200 copies/ml is considered undetectable and poses zero risk of transmission.

health2 years ago

Timing home-tests for COVID-19 based on evolving SARS-CoV-2 loads and symptom onset

A study conducted in Georgia found that the peak viral loads of SARS-CoV-2 occur on the fourth or fifth day of symptoms, while the peak viral loads of influenza A occur on the second day of symptoms. This has implications for the timing of rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 and flu. The study suggests that the relationship between viral load and symptom onset is different in a highly immune population compared to earlier in the pandemic, highlighting the need for updated testing practices. In other news, the US Department of Health and Human Services has awarded up to $104 million for the development of diagnostic platforms to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the FDA has released finalized food safety guidance for sprout producers, aiming to reduce the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with sprouts.