HIV/AIDS Information
This site is designed especially for those who have recently learned that someone they care about has HIV/AIDS. I will try to respond to common questions in a way that ordinary people can understand. To contribute questions, answers, corrections, or comments, please email me. I will respond personally unless/until I get flooded with mail.
Please bear in mind that I am a concerned lay person, not a doctor. For advice on medical decisions, please consult your doctor or other health professional.
Unfortunately, I haven't had time to research this page yet, but I can give a short answer now. I'll try to get back to this with more information later.
Essentially, CD4 count measures the number of CD4 cells there are in a unit of the individual's blood. CD4 cells, also known as T-cells, are an important part of the immune system. People with AIDS have fewer CD4 cells than healthy people have. Different people with AIDS may have different numbers of CD4 cells. Those with higher CD4 counts usually feel better and are less likely to get opportunistic infections. This test is used to monitor the effectiveness of a course of treatment. If the medications raise the CD4 count, that means they are working.
Regardless of the CD4 count, a person who has been infected with HIV remains infected, which means that the person can pass on the virus to others. People with high CD4 counts may appear to be healthy, and may feel pretty good, but they still need to be careful about passing the virus on.
Back to the main page for this site, HIV/AIDS Information for the Clueless.
Back to the home page for the Urbana-Champaign area PFLAG chapter.
This page is maintained by Lisa Murphy.
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This page last revised August 10, 1998.