Explaining, Predicting, and Treating HIV-Associated CD4 Cell Loss: After 25 Years Still a Puzzle

Since 1996, it has been known that as a group, individuals with a higher HIV RNA viral load tend to progress to AIDS and death at a more rapid rate than those with lower viral loads, and that different prognostic information can be derived from the CD4 cell count and the viral load. The conventional wisdom is that the CD4 cell count represents the current state of immune deficiency, whereas the viral load reflects the rate at which the immune system will further deteriorate.