title: Low CD4+ T-lymphocyte values in human immunodeficiency virus-negative adults in Botswana.
abstract: CD4+-lymphocyte counts (LCs) play a crucial role in the management and monitoring of HIV infection. Variability in CD4+ LCs has been reported to occur as a result of measurement techniques and/or biological variations. We report on the CD4+ LCs of healthy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative adults in Botswana. Samples were obtained from HIV-seronegative blood donors. The median CD4+ LC was 726 cells/mm3 (for females, 782 cells/mm3; for males, 698 cells/mm3). The median CD8+ LC was 488 cells/mm3 (for females, 494 cells/mm3; for males, 485 cells/mm3). The median CD4+-to-CD8+ ratio was 1.57 (for females, 1.66; for males, 1.51). Our findings of low CD4+ LCs among HIV-negative adults in Botswana are significant and have important implications for the management of HIV disease in the population of this sub-Saharan African country.
authors.affiliation: Botswana-Harvard AIDS Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bussmann
authors.forename: C William
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wester
authors.forename: Kereng V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Masupu
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gaolekwe
authors.forename: Soyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ibou
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thior
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Essex
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marlink
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001902:Botswana / Q000453:epidemiology; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance