HIV Prevention and Testing > How Can I Prevent HIV?
Undetectable Question
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Joebilly73:
I know that there are differences and what is considered undetectable. Some sites say anything under 200 other sites say it has to be under 50 or 20. So my question is once below say 200, how long before you can start having unprotected sex again where it would not be transmittable? I know this is probably been asked numerous times. I just can’t find an answer on here. Thank you for your help.
Jim Allen:
Hiya.
Most of these questions end up in the "how do I prevent" forum that can be found here: https://forums.poz.com/index.php?board=28.0
To answer your question, once your viral load has become fully suppressed (below 200 copies); and you then maintain that suppressed viral load through treatment for 6+ months, you will be unable to pass on HIV during sex. See details here: https://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=71848.0
Jim Allen:
--- Quote ---what is considered undetectable. --- End quote ---
It's a horrible term and one answer is that it depends on the threshold of the lab being used.
The target is not for counts to be "undetectable" for the lab results but to have continuously suppressed viral load below 200 copies. We all have a detectable HIV viral load, it is just sometimes that it's below that particular lab's threshold to detect, which can be a threshold of 200,150,50,20,10 or in some research settings 1 copy.
There was a frustrating trend and bad practice of doctors chasing ever-lower counts without reason.