Zeitschrift für klinische und zelluläre Immunologie
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Immunological Profile: CD4, CD8, HIV Cofactors and Viral Load in HIV Discordant Couples when Compared with Concordant Couples

Yohannis Meseret Hambissa, Dawit Wolday, Yohannes Mengistu, Aster Tsegaye, Rawley C Howe, Ermias Hailu, Nick Anderson, Geremew Tasew and Tsehaynesh Messele

To assess if the differences between discordant couples were due to the differences of CD4, CD8; the absolute number and proportions of these T cells were determined using a flow cytometer and other HIV Co-factors and viral load was also measured and compared with concordant and AIDS patients. Discordant negative partners had adequate amount of CD4 equivalent to healthy subjects and highly significantly (P<0.001) different from discordant positives and CD4 and CD8 ratio was also high. Discordant positive partners had a significantly (P<0.05) different number of CD4 cells when compared to concordant couples. The CD4 number of discordant positive subjects was closer but slightly higher than the normal boundary count.
The CD8 number of discordant positives was very similar to discordant negatives and there was no significant difference (p>0.05). Increased CD8 number was associated with decreased viral load and in some subjects even to the level of below detection level. Viral load in discordant positives was 60X lower than concordant couples. Concordant couples showed elevated viral load and decreased CD8 T cells number while discordant positives showed elevated CD8 and very low viral load. The same result of viral load (slightly decreased) and CD4 and CD8 count was also obtained after one and half year when samples were collected from some of the previously studied subjects. Syphilis was a known risk factor for HIV transmission as it was diagnosed in many of discordant positives and concordant couples.