With the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic raging on furiously across India, a lot medical terms are floating around like viral load mapping. So let us understand what does viral load means when it comes to COVID-19 infection and what does it signify regarding the severity of the infection?
Simply put, viral load means the total amount of virus a patient has inside of him/ her. It means how much virus is present in any sample taken from a COVID-19 positive person.
Viral load refers to the amount of measurable virus in a standard volume of material, such as blood or plasma.
What does Viral Load exactly mean in COVID-19?
As per experts, once the COVID-19 virus enters a person's body, it makes it the host and starts replicating fast inside the cells of that person's body thereby, infecting more and more cells.
Viral load is a measure of the total number of viral particles present inside an individual. The higher the number of replications of the virus in the cells of a person, the higher the viral load would be.
Does viral load indicate the severity of the infection?
Yes, viral load mapping of the nasal swabs can indicate the severity of COVID-19 infection in a person's body.
So does high viral load mean more severe infection?•As per experts, a high viral load doesn't necessarily mean a more severe case of infection. Though it may mean that the close contacts of the infected individual with high viral load are more likely to be infected as they would be exposed to high viral dose. •There have been conflicting results about high viral load leading to more severe form of COVID-19. While one of the studies by The Lancet Infectious Diseases reported that the mean viral load of severe cases was 60 times higher than that of mild cases, a Chinese study reported an asymptomatic patient with the same levels of viral load as symptomatic patients. •Hence, there is no clear indication whether high viral load actually indicates severe infection. |
How does viral load mapping help?
Viral load mapping helps in understanding whether the viral load is decreasing in the patient, which means that the patient is improving and responding well or whether it is increasing, which means the patient's condition is becoming more critical.
How is viral load mapping?
Viral load mapping is done through several tests by taking the initial viral load measurement as the baseline to understand the progress of the infection. The best way to know this is continuous monitoring of the viral load.
The more replications that have occurred, the higher the viral load. Long ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic began, this measurement is commonly used in HIV patients to determine how they are responding to antiviral treatments.
When is one most infectious?
As per reports, the highest viral load appears within the first week of infection after the first symptoms come. During this time, one can infect others even while being asymptomatic. The risk of an infected person transmitting the infection is highest in the early days. Asymptomatic people with high viral load are capable of transmitting the infection to others.
How can a person reduce the amount of virus ingested?
While strictly following COVID-19 protocols help one avoid getting COVID-19 infection in the first place, one can also reduce the amount of exposure by using face masks. Face masks can reduce and limit the amount of virus inhaled by a person.
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