MIK67 Cause of low cd4 counts

[shiblee101]

did anyone see MIK67's recent post to Dr. HHH where he tested negative for HIV, positive for EBV, and has very low CD4 and CD8 counts.  this is scary.  i've had profound fatigue and muscle aches that started again 5 months post exposure.  tested negative elisa and rna pcr at 11 weeks post exposure.  was positive of EBV.  now i'm thinking (?anxiety) that i may still hae hiv.  is it anxiety, ebv, or something else.

MIK67 any follow up?  hope you are doing OK!

[Teak]

Don't believe everything you read. Waiting on a P24 antigen test at 9 weeks? A P24 is only good for the first three weeks of infection, when antibodies develope then the antigens can not be detected.

[shiblee101]

so u don't believe the story?  the details of the numbers seem very specific.  is it possible to have such low cd4 counts and still be healthy and not have hiv?

[shiblee101]

so u don't believe the story?  the details of the numbers seem very specific.  is it possible to have such low cd4 counts and still be healthy and not have hiv?

[Teak]

I have a CD4 of 137 at the moment and I feel fine. There is just one other thing about his post. You don't see where he was prescribed any antibotics for prophylaxis. Anyone with a CD4 <200 would have been prescribed a prophylasix to prevent other illnesses.

[regularjoey]

Why do you find it scary?
Now you know that EBV can cause symptoms similar to HIV.
But EBV will not cause AIDS, it will subside eventually.
So the symptoms you are having are likely just due to EBV.
You are HIV negative.

[MIK67]

She did not prescribe anything for my low CD4/CD8 count and I can assure you my symptoms are real.  Yes it could be from the EBV and I understand that will not delay seroconversion.  When your CD4 count was 148 ??  Are you HIV positive?

One week earlier I had a PCR at non detect (<50copies).  Something has REACTIVATED my EBV/mono (begining of April) and I have no idea what could have caused this other than my high risk exposure and EBV which you can search for in the previous discussions.  My symptoms have not gone away, my appetite is non existant, losing weight....  headaches and my night sweats are GETTING WORSE....  That combined with my low CD4/CD8 is scaring me.  I had the exposure approx the last week in March 07 and began having symptoms approx 3 weeks after.  Read my previous thread and then make comments.

[regularjoey]

Trust what the Doctors said.
"Your tests show that you don't have HIV"
Many things can make you sick.
And EBV can make you very sick for a long time.

[Teak]

You can not be HIV positive if you don't test positive. HIV isn't diagnosed by your CD4 count. You need to discuss all this with your doctor because you are confused. No doctor would let you go without prescribing antibotics for prophylaxis with a CD4 as low as you suggest. NO doctor would even give you a P24 antigen test if they thought you had HIV after 3 weeks. Contact your doctor and discuss it.

[MIK67]

I do not disagree with you, but remember the P24 will turn negative AFTER seroconversion.  That is why she is running that test post PCR....  which was less than 50 copies backed up with a standard HIV.  It is POSSIBLE to have not seroconverted which would be picked up by the P24 which is a protein reaction.  I did have a CD4 of 208, not below 200 and a CD8 of 133 (300 normal).....Remember that is immune compromised which could explain the lenght to seroconvert.

I still have ARS symptoms, especially the increasing night sweats which should be improving from the EBV.  This is my worry.

[Teak]

That is incorrect. The P24 will not pick up as soon as antibodies start to develope. Antibodies attach themselves to the P24. That is why it is undectable past 3 weeks. If you do not have a build up of antibodies indicating that your body is fight HIV then you would not have a decrease in your CD4 due to HIV.

[shiblee101]

if you were immunocompromised wouldn't that automatically mean that the rna pcr test would be positive as the virus would replicate without an immune response?  therefore, you would expect a high viral load.  right?

[MIK67]

So if I understand your opinion:  You are saying I am HIV negative because the PCR was negative at approx 9-10 weeks after exposure backed up with a antigen neg HIV?  And running the P24 is a waste of time?

[Teak]

It can't be positive for something that one doesn't have.