title: HIV-1 load quantitation: a 17-year perspective.
abstract: During the past decade and a half, quantitation of plasma-associated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA level, or HIV-1 load, has been validated in clinical practice and clinical trials as an important surrogate marker of HIV-1 disease progression and of the potency and durability of antiretroviral regimens. This review highlights some of the history, accomplishments, and impact of Tom Merigan's laboratory on the use of HIV-1 load as a marker, as well as on updating technologies for determining HIV-1 load, their performance, interpretation of the results, and their use in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Research Center, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. mark.holodniy@va.gov
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holodniy
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D012367:RNA, Viral