LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Viral: Doctors
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If you think you have viral gastroenteritis, you may want to see your doctor. Doctors generally diagnose viral gastroenteritis based on the symptoms and a physical examination. Your doctor may ask for a stool sample to test for rotavirus or to rule out bacteria or parasites as the cause of your symptoms. No routine tests are currently available for the other types of viruses.
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There are actually two types of viral load tests. A viral load report – sent to your doctor after blood samples have been collected and sent to a lab – will specify which test was used. Typically, labs use either the Amplicor® polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, or either the Quantiplex® or Versant® branched DNA (bDNA) tests. Sorry for the mouth full – you really don't need to remember these long names. Just look for "PCR" or "bDNA" on your lab results, and you'll know which one was used.
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If and when therapy is started, your doctor should order a viral load test and a CD4 count about two to eight weeks after you start a treatment to evaluate whether therapy is being effective. To monitor long-term therapy, your doctor will order viral load tests and CD4 counts about every three to six months.
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