What is HIV PCR Test

What is HIV PCR Test

HIV PCR Test

HIV PCR test is one of the most expensive ways to test for the presence of the HIV virus in the body. Here is how this whole process works:

The patient gives a blood sample to the lab specialist to analyze. The lab specialist finds and isolates the HIV genetic material, or traces that appear similar to this virus. The genetic material found is amplified by a process called NDA that is capable of amplifying the RNA of the HIV virus, thus making it noticeable in a few hours, rather than a few months, as in the human body occurs.

HIV PCR Test

After the virus’s genetic material has been multiplied and it has reached a level where it can become obvious that this is an HIV infection or this is a healthy body that provided the sample, the results are read.

For people that already have the HIV virus, the PCR method with minor alteration is also used to determine the viral load. Meaning: the quantity of virus in a cubic milliliter of blood.

HIV PCR test is an alternative to the regular way of testing for the HIV virus which involves antibodies. The traditional way to determine the presence of the HIV virus in the human body gives accurate results only if the test is performed within three months of the infection. However, not many people are willing to wait this long, and pay a lot of money for the PCR test. Since it is quite expensive, and the medical instruments needed to conduct this test are also very expensive, not many clinics have the possibility to offer patients such a test.