Question
Why does my CD4 count drops?
24 February 2012. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.
Why does CD4 count drops?
Answer
There are many reasons why your CD4 count can drop.
If you have any kind of infection such as cold, flu or fever then it can cause your CD4 to drop.
If someone is infected by immune deficiency illness such as cancer or HIV, this can also reduces their CD4 count. If not treated, their CD4 count can drop to a very low level and they can develop other opportunistic illnesses (OIs).
HIV medication works by stopping the virus from replicating itself and therefore preventing the virus from further damaging the immune system. When your viral load has been reduce to undetectable level (less than 50 copies) then your CD4 count will go up, but not to the level before infection.
For more information on the same subject, please look at the link below.
Hi
I’m HIV positive, I haven’t told my partner about my status. I’m afraid I’ll lose them if I tell them. We’ve been busy having unprotected sex. I love him a lot. Can you please advice me what to do.
Hi Molobane.
What did your doctor say?
If these results were in the UK, the doctor would talk about whether you ever miss or are late with your meds. If yes, then bringing this back to the same time every day again might be enough for viral load be become undetectable again. The viral load result would also be tested again in case this was a mistake with the test.
If your adherence has been really good, and the viral load goes higher, your doctor will probably talk about changing treatment.
This online guide has more information about all these issues:
http://i-base.info/guides/changing
Please let me know how you get on.
Hello. My viral load was 24 copies and now is 445 copies. What does that mean as I am worried.
Thank You for Your Advice
Hi Tiana, I am sorry but I can’t explain these results. Perhaps one of them was a test error or even another person’s results? It is worth testing again to check, but changes between 250 and 350 are common without meaning much.
Hi I started ART in July 2014 and my cd4 was 194 and in december 2014 it rose to 370. I then went for another cd4 in march 2015 and it had risen to 904 and recently i went for another test and and has sharply dropped to 260 wat cld be the problem
Hi Mpume
Thanks – you are doing really well. There is usually nothing to worry about with these small differences in the CD4 count. These results often go up and down a little. Do you get a viral load test as part of your monitoring? If this result is undetectable, then you really have nothing to worry about. If you don;t have a viral load test then the doctor might check the CD4 count again or at your next visit. With a count above 500 there is very little chance that HIV will cause any problems.
Im using ARV’s from may 2010. I’ve been doing well, cause my last year Cd4 count was 695, but this year drops to 535, im not happy plz help
Hi,
Is there a reason why you are not on treatment? The way to prevent your CD4 count from dropping is to start HIV treatment (ART). Many HIV treatment guidelines across the world now recommend starting treatment at any CD4 count, even when it’s high.
The START study showed that starting ART reduces the risk of other illnesses with both HIV and non-HIV complications.
You can find out more about starting treatment and CD4 counts on this previous question:
http://i-base.info/qa/8022
I am HIV positive but not on treatment but my CD4 count is droping how can I prevent that and what causes the drop.