Researchers found that people infected with HIV who maintained a CD4+ count during untreated infection as high as that in people not infected with HIV had a much smaller HIV reservoir after several years on treatment. The team found that a smaller HIV reservoir was linked to activity in a specific immunological pathway (STAT5 signalling). Across most measures of HIV persistence on treatment, women had lower levels than men. Together, this indicates that people who maintain a very high CD4+ count until starting ART may have certain immunological advantages. This may make them good candidates for HIV cure interventions.
High CD4 count before HIV treatment contributes to smaller HIV reservoir on ART
