M00-0364 | Performance Text [part of the text]

CD4 & Viral Load

CD4 cells are the white blood cells which organise the immune system’s response to some microorganisms, including bacteria, fungal infections and viruses. The CD4 count is the measurement of the number of CD4 cells in a cubic millimeter of blood. CD4 counts can vary considerably between individuals. A person who is not infected with HIV may be anywhere between 500 and 1200. While the CD4 cells play an important role in fighting viruses, HIV has the ability to infect CD4 cells and use them to produce more HIV copies. Even wile a person with HIV feels well and has no symptoms, millions of CD4 cells are infected by the virus and destroy each day, and millions more CD4 cells are produced to replace them. A CD4 count between 500 and 200 indicates that some damage to the immune system has occurred. If your CD4 count falls bellow 250-200, an HIV positive person is recommended to start treatment with HIV drugs because this is the level at which the risk of AIDS-related illness is greatly increased. If an HIV positive person has relatively high CD4 count, no symptoms and is not taking anti-HIV drugs, then the only need is to measure the CD4 count once every three months.

Viral Load tests estimate the number of HIV particles in the liquid, or plasma part of the blood. They do this by looking for the HIV’s genetic material, which is called HIV RNA.The result of viral load test is described as the number of copies of HIV RNA per millilitre. All viral loads tests have a cut-off point below which they cannot reliably detect HIV. This point is called the limit of detection (LOD) and varies from one testing kit to another. However, just because the level of HIV is too low to be measured by these tests, it does not necessarily mean that the virus has disappeared entirely. The virus may still be present in your blood, but in amounts too low for the test to pick it up. Having undetectable viral load is desirable for three reasons:

1- A very low risk of developing AIDS.

2- A very low risk of developing resistance to the drugs.

3- A very low risk of transmitting the virus.

Lipodystrophy

Body fat changes in HIV are known as lipodystrophy. Four patterns of body fat changes are being seen in people with HIV who are taking potent combinations of anti-HIV drugs often called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

These are:

1- Central fat gain which is within the abdomen and makes the belly feel harder.

2- Between the shoulder blades.

3- Around the neck.

4- In the breasts.

5- Loss of fat from under the skin (which becomes most obvious in the arms, legs, buttocks and face, resulting in a facial wasting, shrunken buttocks and prominent veins on the arms and legs).

Only this particular kind of fat loss is specific to HIV infection, Fat gain may be caused by metabolic changes that also occur in HIV-negative people. A few people will also develop small, unusual fat deposits on other parts of the body, usually the limbs and trunk. These are called lymphomas. Exercise improves both the heart’s ability to pump and the muscles’ ability to use oxygen. It includes activities like brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, rowing, even vigorous sex and dancing.

V-Effect – Yes, HIV positive people do fuck like all of us.

A total of 30 minutes of any of these activities per day at this level will reduce your risk of heart disease.

V-Effect – If vigorous sex you may want to make it last more than 30 minutes, I would.

Canha