Question

131 comments

1. Robin Jakob • 13 September 2015

   Hi,

   If your boyfriend is not on treatment it is possible for you to get infected and you should use condoms when having sex. If he is on treatment and has an ‘undetectable’ viral load the risk of transmission is extremely low – close to zero.

   You can find more information about risks of transmission here:
   http://i-base.info/guides/testing

2. Lindsay • 13 September 2015

   Hi I’m HIV negative my new boyfriend is HIV positive with a cd4 count of 630 is it possible for me to get infected

3. Robin Jakob • 11 July 2014

   Hi,

   it is normal and good for your CD4 count to go up. THis happens when you are on treatment. It is also common for CD4 to drop during pregnancy and then rise again afterwards.

   You can find more information on CD4 count here:
   http://i-base.info/guides/starting/cd4-count-and-viral-load

4. Confused • 11 July 2014

   Hi i found out i was hiv positive when i was pregnant in 2012. My cd4 was 998 by then. Now it is 1308, i do my cd4 counts every six months, the clinic im attending they just take my cd4count and tell me to come back after another 6 months. Is it normal for it to go up please help.

5. Rebecca McDowall • 6 November 2013

   Hi Polly, please see this page in our transmission guide about viral loads. Please let me know if you have any questions after looking there.

6. Polly • 6 November 2013

   Hi
   I have a CD4 count of 720 and viral load has been undetectable for 7 years. I am on medication.What are the chances of affecting a partner if we do not use a condom

7. Rebecca McDowall • 31 October 2013

   Hi,
   This will depend on where your friend lives and the treatment guidelines in his/her country. In the UK s/he would be able to start treatment now if s/he said she was concerned about infecting a sexual partner.

   You can read about the differences in treatment guidelines here. Your friend’s doctor should be able to explain whether it is possible for them to start treatment right away or not.

8. Unsure • 31 October 2013

   Hi

   A friend of mine was tested positive 4 years back now his cd4 count has dropped to 500 so she wants to start the ARVs now. Is that fine or does she have to wait till it drops below 350

9. Ricky B • 19 September 2013

   @ Sad n confused: I know you are worried with your fiend, but these readings are very common. When a person first contracts HIV, the virus count is over the roof, and the CD4 quickly declines. It is common to start medication only when CD4 drops below 300. You’ll notice your friend will go through a rough time at the next few months, partially due to the side effects of the medication (hallucinations at night time are very common), partially because the body will be fighting the virus. In my case (over 10 years ago) this medicine assisted inital fight against the HIV virus ironically caused my body to be open to other illnesses – so I contracted a rare form of meningitis which meant 4 months in hospital and near death! (…) But the body is an amazing thing. I have been extremelly healthy ever since, a HUGE CD4 of 1200 on average, and indetectable virus load (which medication aims to achieve within 6 months of treatment). Chest infections tend to be common to at this early period of treatment. But do not despair, this initial battle soon is over. Make sure he/she sticks to the life-long treatment. Your friendship and support is the bes thing your friend has at this moment :-)
   All of the best,
   Ricky

10. Sad n Confused • 23 August 2013

    Hi,
    A close friend of mine has been diagnosed HIV positive a month ago..after all the tests and up n down to hospital..now the blood report is here..
    The report says tat CD4 count is 299 n viral load is 271,000
    Doc has prescribed Tenovir n Efavirenz
    I am just worried is tis blood result shows tat my friend is in the danger zone
    By taking the medicine can my friend live a normal life
    Wat is the life span of a person wit (referring to the blood test report)..