What is a CD4-cell count?
The CD4-cell count is a measurement of the number of immune system cells, such as T-lymphocytes and monocytes, that have CD4 receptors. The CD4-cell count falls sharply in the early stages of HIV infection, because the virus targets and destroys CD4+ cells. When the body starts to cope with the infection, the CD4-cell count rises again. During the intermediate stage, the body creates enough new CD4 cells to replace the billions of CD4 cells destroyed by HIV replication. However, the rate of CD4-cell destruction eventually overtakes the rate of CD4-cell creation, and the CD4-cell count declines gradually over several years. This makes the CD4-cell count an effective way to assess the health of the immune system. How often should the CD4-cell count be measured? Persons with HIV should have their CD4-cell levels measured every three to six months. Why is the CD4-cell count important? Variations in CD4-cell levels over a given period of time are a reliable predictor of HIV infection and AI
