I tested HIV+ last year Sept. My wife had just given birth o a healthy baby girl in July last year,she tested negative.We recently went for another test and she's still negative. Initially my CD4 was 590 in Sept 05, I fell ill and had to go for a tonsililectomy in Feb this year, in March my CD4 was 487. Could it be the cause of the operation l had that my CD4 went down? My next test is due in Sept, i'm not on any medication as yet and my wife and l are practising safe sex.

It is hard to say if the stress of the surgery, the natural decline in CD4 cells during HIV infection, or biologic or lab variability are to account for this decline in you cell count. If possible, I would check the CD4 count again. A 100 cell drop within less than a year is a concern and may indicate, if confirmed, that HIV therapy is warranted.

DW