Plaque Essay

Viral Load

The concentration of viral particles in a given sample, often referred to as viral load, viral burden, or viral titer, crucial for monitoring infection severity.

Plaque Assay

A method to determine viral load by counting the number of cells infected by active viruses in a patient's sample.

Plaque Forming Unit (PFU)

The viral load calculated as PFU per milliliter during a plaque assay, accounting for variation and errors in counting.

ELISA

Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, a tool using antibody-antigen binding to detect specific antiviral proteins in a patient's sample, providing quick but indirect measures of viral load.

Quantitative PCR

A method to measure the number of specific viral DNA or RNA sequences in a sample, requiring advanced equipment and trained technicians.

Reverse Transcriptase PCR

A method similar to quantitative PCR to measure viral DNA or RNA sequences in a sample, aiding in accurate viral load determination.