Viral load

The viral load (English viral load ) represents the amount of virus found in the blood serum or blood plasma, and is, for example, as the concentration of genomes ( the case of DNA viruses), or genome equivalents specified (for RNA viruses ) per milliliter.

The term viral load its origins in HIV therapy, in which was crucial for the first time the determination of the concentration for the further course of therapy and initially just the "burden" of cellular immunity was meant by infectious viruses. With time, the term has been transferred to the hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. By determining the viral load some patients can be identified with a lack of compliance. Meanwhile, the term is used incorrectly viral load for any blood concentration of viral pathogens, correct, the term concentration of virus (viral concentration).

The viral load is determined by quantitative detection method of the viral nucleic acid, eg, by so-called real -time PCR in RNA viruses with a preceding reverse transcription. The identification and verification of the concentration of virus as well as its time course ( viral kinetics ) are an important part of therapy selection and monitoring of chronic viral infections and in patients with by disease, organ transplantation or genetically weakened immune systems.