CD4+ Count

T-Lymphocyte Measurement

Why It Is Done

CD4+ counts are done to:

• Monitor how the HIV infection is affecting your immune system.
• Help diagnose acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV causes AIDS, a long-term chronic disease that cannot be cured.
• Decide when to start antiretroviral therapy, which slows the rate that HIV multiplies in the body. See the Results section for more information.
• Evaluate your risk for developing other infections (opportunistic infections).
• Decide when to start treatment to prevent opportunistic infections, such as medicines to prevent Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).

A CD4+ cell count taken at the time you are diagnosed serves as the baseline against which future CD4+ cell counts will be compared. Your CD4+ cell count is monitored every 3 to 6 months, depending on your health status, previous CD4+ cell counts, and whether you are taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) medicines.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS	Last Updated: February 17, 2009
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Peter Shalit, MD, PhD - Internal Medicine
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