Question
A sudden drop in the CD4 count
3 October 2007. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.
I have been HIV-positive and in the past 3 months have had T cell counts of 1000+, but in the past month they have dropped to 400, what could cause this?
Answer
Many things can influence your CD4 count. F
These include: other underlying infections, stress, exercise, the menstrual cycle, use of contraceptive pills, time of the day when the blood sample was taken, temporary changes in concentrations of CD4 cells in different body compartments, or just a mistake in the lab, etc.
That is why the trend in CD4 results is more important than a one off reading.
As this is such a large drop though, it is a good idea to discuss with your medical professional a second reading both from the same sample and from a new one. Your doctor should also look at your CD4/CD8 ratio and CD4 percentage to see if this is a real change in your immune system.
Comment