Viral load testing.

Currently, viral-load testing is still experimental, and while doctors can order tests, insurance companies may not be willing to pay for them. The two viral-load tests now available, the Hoffmann-La Roche PCR test and Chiron's bDNA test, are described in terms of how they measure viral load. Concerns of these tests' accuracy and use of the test as a marker of disease progression are addressed. A study examining the viral load test is currently enrolling. Decisions on HIV treatment will be made based on viral-load results versus decisions based on T4 count and symptoms.