The following may be useful as prognostic tests; (1) HIV antigen (2) Serial CD₄ counts (3) Neopterin (4) B₂-microglobulin. (5) Viral load. Of these tests, only serial CD4 counts and HIV viral load are still routinely used.

a. HIV viral load - It appears that HIV viral load has the greatest prognostic value. HIV viral load in serum may be measured by assays which detect HIV-RNA e.g. RT-PCR, NASBA, or bDNA. HIV viral load has now been established as having good prognostic value, and in monitoring response to antiviral chemotherapy. Patients with a low viral load during the incubation period had a better prognosis than those with a high viral load. Patients whose viral load decreased significantly following the commencement of antiviral therapy had a better prognosis than those who did not respond. Among patients who responded to antiviral therapy, those who had a low pre-treatment viral load had a better prognosis than those who had a high pre-treatment viral load.

b. CD4 counts - despite the increasing use of HIV-RNA assays, measurement of CD4 still has important value in monitoring disease progression and response to antiviral chemotherapy. whereas CD4 count gives an indication of the stage of disease. “The measurement of  HIV viral load tells us where the disease is going, whereas CD4 count tells us where the disease is at this moment”