Inflammation

This inflammation is thought to be one reason people with HIV may develop certain health problems, such as thickening of the arteries which can lead to heart (cardiovascular) disease.

In the past, research has indicated that this inflammation can happen even when someone is on HIV treatment and has a low viral load.

Now a study has explored this inflammatory effect using tests that can more accurately measure very low levels of viral load.

The findings of this study suggest that having an extremely low viral load is not linked to increased inflammation.

Previous research has relied on viral load tests that can detect viral load down to either 400 or 75 copies per millilitre of blood. This study used ultra-sensitive tests that can measure viral load below 20 copies/ml. The researchers found that a viral load below that level was not associated with the markers linked to inflammation, suggesting a reduced risk of related health problems.

Researchers took into account the health of people's immune systems (their CD4 cell count), their risk of developing heart disease, and other factors such as age, sex and lifestyle.

They concluded that the ways in which HIV causes inflammation and can therefore cause additional health problems are complex, and need further research.