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List of Partners vendors. Measuring CD4 T-cells is important in helping healthcare providers determine the stage and likely outcome of HIV infection. While they are no longer used to determine when HIV therapy should be started—therapy should always be started at the time diagnosis —they can provide practitioners a clear idea of how the person is and what can be done to improve his or her long-term health.
To begin, lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection. There are two main types of lymphocytes: B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes. The absolute CD4 count is a measurement of how many functional CD4 T-cells are circulating in your blood.
Viral load is an important indicator of HIV progression and of how well treatment is working. An undetectable viral load is the first goal of antiretroviral therapy. The primary white blood cells of the immune system, which signal to other immune system cells how and when to fight infections.
During your first months taking HIV treatment, your CD4 count will continue to be monitored regularly. Nonetheless when you are taking HIV treatment, your viral load is a more important indicator of your health and of the effectiveness of your treatment than your CD4 cell count.
After a while, your doctor may suggest checking your CD4 cell count less often. If you have had an undetectable viral load for at least a year and your CD4 cell count is over , your doctor may suggest monitoring your CD4 cell count once a year. If you have had an undetectable viral load and a CD4 cell count over for at least a year, then your doctor may feel that CD4 cell counts are not needed at all — so long as your viral load remains undetectable.
However, if your viral load increased, or you had HIV-related symptoms, then your CD4 cell count would be monitored again. CD4 cell counts can vary a lot between people. Your own CD4 cell count may go up and down in response to different factors such as exercise, lack of sleep or smoking. Rather than attach too much significance to an individual test result, it makes good sense to monitor any trends in changes to your CD4 cell count over time.
If you have another infection, such as the flu or an outbreak of herpes, talk to your clinic about whether it is best to delay your CD4 count until you are feeling better. If you get a result that is very different to that expected, your doctor may want to repeat the test to check whether the first result was a laboratory error. In addition to using a test to count the number of CD4 cells, doctors sometimes measure the proportion of all white blood cells that are CD4 cells.
This is called a CD4 cell percentage. For example, if your CD4 percentage is very different to your CD4 cell count, it might be a sign of another health problem. One circumstance when your doctor might measure your CD4 cell percentage could be if there is a big variation in your CD4 cell count between one test and the next.
CD4 percentages are less likely to fluctuate than CD4 counts. Now it serves as an indicator of immune system stability. However, in general, a high CD4 count and a low — or undetectable — viral load are desirable. The higher the CD4 count, the healthier the immune system.
The lower the viral load, the likelier it is that HIV therapy is working. The following chart gives a general idea of what the levels of CD4 and viral load mean for a person with HIV, based on guidelines from the U. Department of Health and Human Services.
Most people living with HIV will have regular CD4 and viral load tests, but the frequency will vary, according to how their treatment progresses and how their body responds to it. Most people will need a test every 3 to 6 months , according to the U. The frequency of testing will depend on how soon after the diagnosis it is, the treatment, and how well the body is responding.
Current guidelines provided by HIV. There is currently no CD4 testing at home, and a doctor would need to interpret any results, as they would need to take other factors into account.
Doctors also prefer to use the same testing facilities to ensure consistency. In some countries, point-of-care testing is available. A single CD4 or viral load test result only represents a snapshot in time. Keep in mind that these values may vary for many reasons. The time of day, any illnesses, and recent vaccinations can all affect CD4 count and viral load. The goal of HIV therapy is to reduce or suppress the viral load to an undetectable level.
According to HIV. The exact number depends on the lab that analyzes the tests. Some people may experience blips. These are temporary, oftentimes small increases in viral load. A healthcare professional will monitor the viral load more closely to see if it returns to an undetectable level without any change in therapy.
Another reason for regular viral load tests is to monitor any drug resistance to the prescribed HIV therapy. Maintaining a low viral load reduces the risk of developing resistance to the therapy.
It consists of a combination of antiretroviral drugs. This is called an undetectable viral load. If a person is virally suppressed or has an undetectable viral load, their HIV is well managed. Current treatment guidelines provided by the U. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that a person living with HIV begin antiretroviral drugs as soon as possible after diagnosis. This is essential to reducing opportunistic infections and preventing complications from HIV.
Effective treatment can also help prevent the transmission of HIV to others. HIV treatment has come a long way in recent years. Following a recommended treatment plan and leading a healthy lifestyle can help a person keep their CD4 count high and their viral load low.
Early treatment and effective monitoring can help a person manage their condition, reduce their risk of complications, and live a long and healthy life.
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