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Ask the Experts about Understanding Your Labs
recently diagnosed
Aug 10, 2008
Hello.
I was recently diagnosed HIV positive. I just got my 1st lab test back and my CD4 count was 53 and my VL was 53,000. I asked my Dr if I had AIDS and he said basically if you want to put yourself in a box technically you do but he has seen people with a CD4 of 2 and they were fine and some that have a CD4 count of over 400 and they were really sick. He said not to really worry right now but he put me on Atripla and gave me immuniations for HepA,HepB, and Phumonia. as well as two diffrent antibiotics. I feel fine with the exception that I am tired from time to time but other than that I am fine. My doctor said with the meds this will go away with the meds since my system is compromised. I believe him. Anyway my question is this
Why would my CD4 count be down to 53 but my VL is only 53,000 I know this is still a lot but I have seen some with number of like a 400 CD4 and VL of 300,000 I am sorry but I am new to this. Aren't these number related (low VL = high CD4 and vica versa)?
Response from Dr. Holodniy
There is not a specific relationship between CD4 count and viral load (for example, the lower the CD4 count the higher the viral load). Many factors are involved here including the viral strain you got and your underlying immune system.
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