CD4 and CD8 reference counts in normal healthy south-Indian adults.

As we know, the CD4 cell count is the best indicator of the immediate state of immunologic competence of the patient with HIV infection and these are one of the most widely used surrogate markers for monitoring disease progression and initiating therapy for HIV infected individuals. Because of drastic cut down in the prices of antiretroviral drugs, the antiretroviral therapy has become more affordable in India. Therefore, it is important to know the baseline CD4 count in normal healthy individuals of that locality, as CD4 counts differ from one locality to other and among different ethnic groups. Estimation of CD4 and CD8 cells continues to be an important marker for the monitoring of HIV infected patients especially in developing countries.[1]