viral load
[ vahy-ruhl lohd ]
/ ˈvaɪ rəl ˈloʊd /
noun Pathology.
the amount or concentration of a virus in a given quantity of blood, saliva, mucus, or other bodily fluid, often expressed as the number of viral particles per milliliter of the fluid: When HIV treatment is effective, the viral load in the blood becomes undetectable. The droplets from a flu-infected person’s sneeze leave their viral load on whatever surface they land on.
Also called
vi·ral bur·den
[vahy-ruhl bur-dn] /ˈvaɪ rəl ˈbɜr dn/.
Origin of viral load
First recorded in 1965–70
Words nearby viral load
Scientific definitions for viral load
viral load
[ vī′rəl ]
The concentration of a virus, such as HIV, in the blood.