What Kind Of Cells Are Being Attacked By Hiv

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Understanding CD4 Cells and CD4 Cell Tests

The Basics CD4 Count and HIV CD4 Count and HIV Treatment CD4 Cell Test The Bottom Line The Basics Your immune system protects your body by fighting germs and infections.White blood cells are an important part of your immune system. HIV infects and destroys a type of white blood cell called aCD4 cell (sometimes called a T-cell). When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, it becomes weak and isunable to fight off germs. At...

Ask the Experts

HIV attacks CD8 cells?

My Drs. can't answer this and my lengthy internet searches are fruitless. I know all about how HIV attacks CD4s, but does it also infect/hijack CD8s? Thank you!...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Unlikely to infect CD8 cells, unless they are dual positive CD4/CD8, of which there are a few. On the other hand, infecting CD4 cells and destroying them does affect CD8 function, in that CD4 cells are important in signaling CD8 cells to function... Read more »

HIV attacking central nervous system

i was diagnosed with encypholitis back in october at which time i was removed from all meds. I had bloodwork done and my t cells dropped from 910 to 527 in late December also viral from undetectable to 1600. New bloodwork done in middle of January...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Not exactly sure what she might be speaking of. However, HIV exists in all tissues including the brain and spinal fluid. HIV drugs penetrate into the brain at different levels. In general when we see viral loads go down in the blood, the same... Read more »

KIND OF COMPLICATED QUESTION ABOUT HIV+ AND CONCEPTION

I have sort of a confusing qusetion - If a hiv negative woman has intercourse with a HIV+ male, and they conceive - if the mother did not contract the virus from the unprotected encounter, will the fetus still become infected with hiv since the...

Response from Sharon Lee, M.D.

University of Kansas Medical Center

The virus is not carried in the sperm, but in the semen. It is the sperm that incorporates with the egg to form the baby. Therefore,the infant is not at risk unless the mother is positive. This is because the virus can transmit across the placenta.... Read more »

Cytotoxic T cells and cancer in HIV patients

If cytotoxic T cells attack viruses and tumor antigens, why do HIV patients have increased cancers? ...

Response from Bruce Dezube, M.D.

Harvard Medical School

For the general reader of this forum, a word of explanation is in order. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes are a very important part of the immune system of both HIV+ and HIV- folks. As the query suggests, these cells are involved with helping individuals... Read more »

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HIV side effects? (heart attacks & seizures)

Posted by Carrie, 1 Reply

I'm starting to post more here, and hope I'm not bothering anyone by it. I'm just looking to get further educated.

Anyways, my 33 year old boyfriend is pos and I who am 27 are neg. We've been talking about having a baby (in another post) but another... Read more »

See,I told you HIV replicates a cell's DNA TO RNA

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

The below is plagerized from Gallant ( the guru!)
I know that the present antiretroviral medications do not actually kill the virus.
However, if the medications inhibit the virus from reproducing, doesn't the virus die
by... Read more »

A Plea - Kind of preachy, sorry..

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

This is a plea in response to several different posts I have seen on this board and is in no way meant as an attack on anyone individual. If you are single, than your sexual, mental, spiritual and internal health is soley your responsibility. When... Read more »

PLEASE HELP ME KIND PEOPLE

Posted by Anonymous, 4 Replies

hi,everyone,i went to the doctors today and my cd4 count is still falling.example oct 01 cd4 820,
march02 cd4 700,
june 02 cd4 560,
for the last test in june,i used a different lab,
could that make such a difference?.
my exposure was in june/july01.
ive... Read more »

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