Viral Load Increases in PBMCs Predicts CD4 Cell Decline in Asymptomatic Patients

[Inchlingblue]

For people not yet on ARV meds (I'm tawkin' to you, Ann), this is a very interesting find.

Viral load increases steadily in cells during the asymptomatic stage of HIV infection, and is an accurate marker of disease progression, Dutch investigators report in the online edition of AIDS. They found that increases in HIV RNA and DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were correlated with the loss of CD4 cells.

However, there was no association between CD4 cell decline and plasma viral load.

Continued . . .

LINK:

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/F6FE38A0-2396-4C24-BC85-C6B433AD1125.asp

[Boze]

I think this may be necessary for most people. I, for one, had no idea what PBMC is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBMC

So my understanding of this research is that a regular blood Viral Load does not measure the right thing - it's the VL in PBMC that needs to be measured.

[elf]

Dutch scientists said everything and nothing.  

1. when HIV enters the bloodstream it is ''swallowed'' by fagocytes [monocytes and macrophages],
this lowers the concentration of the HIV in the bloodstream and makes the concentration of HIV
in fagocytes higher.
2. monocytes function as a Troian horse and spread the virus intro brain

[tednlou2]

Dutch scientists said everything and nothing.  

1. when HIV enters the bloodstream it is ''swallowed'' by fagocytes [monocytes and macrophages],
this lowers the concentration of the HIV in the bloodstream and makes the concentration of HIV
in fagocytes higher.
2. monocytes function as a Troian horse and spread the virus intro brain

They are really called fagocytes?  Wow.  Who named that?

[leatherman]

They are really called fagocytes?

Phagocyte
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phagocyte

[Hellraiser]

From the Latin Phagos meaning "To Eat" it is however pronounced Fajos