Diagnosis for AIDS
AIDS diagnosis is based on clinical and laboratory findings with the central dogma being a positive test for HIV in the blood, a reduced level of CD4⁺ lymphocytes in the blood, and the present or recent history of one or more opportunistic infections or atypical malignant (cancerous) diseases. RT-PCR (Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test is a recently developed technique that identifies HIV-RNA directly and quantitatively from blood samples. RT-PCR technique estimates the number of viruses present in the blood (i.e., viral load), indicates the magnitude of virus-replication and correlates with the rate of CD4⁺ lymphocyte destruction.