T-cell counts and what they mean. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

T-cell counts and what they mean. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

AIDS Clin Care. 1995 Apr;7(4):31-2. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700182
Langlois W; Sax P; Harvard Community Services Center, Cleveland, OH.

Abstract: The blood contains red, oxygen-carrying cells and white, immune-system cells. The T-cell count measures white blood cells, and is determined by multiplying together the following three numbers: 1) the total number of white blood cells; 2) the percentage of white blood cells that are lymphocytes; and 3) the percentage of lymphocytes that are T-helper cells. (Lymphocytes are a specialized kind of white blood cell that tell other immune system cells how to fight infections.) The T-cell count is important because HIV directly infects and damages T-cells, causing the number of T-cells in an HIV-infected person to decrease over time. When HIV disease progresses and the T-cell count drops, the immune system is less able to fight off invading germs. Therefore, the likelihood of contracting an infection, especially an opportunistic infection, increases. Decreasing T-cell counts may encourage the patient to take prophylactic (preventative) medicines in order to counteract the increasing risk of opportunistic infections. T-cell counts may also influence the decision to begin anti-HIV therapy, such as AZT. Although T-cell counts can offer a certain amount of information, they only serve as one measure of the patient's health.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/BLOOD/DRUG THERAPY/IMMUNOLOGY Human HIV Infections/BLOOD/DRUG THERAPY/IMMUNOLOGY *Lymphocyte Count *T-Lymphocyte Subsets NEWSLETTER ARTICLE

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