Page 23 - 78 glossary of hivaids-related terms_opt

immune system cells. It is one of two coreceptors that HIV can use
along with the CD4 receptor to bind to and enter host cells. (The
other coreceptor is CXCR4.)
See Also: Coreceptor C
CXCR4
CD4 Receptor
CCR5 Receptor Blocker

CCR5 Receptor Blocker
Class of anti-HIV drug that stops HIV from binding to the CCR5
coreceptor, a receptor that most strains of HIV need to enter cells.
Without the ability to bind to CCR5, HIV entry is halted.
See Also: CCR5
Coreceptor

CD4 Cell
Also known as helper T cell or CD4 lymphocyte. A type of infection-
fighting white blood cell that carries the CD4 receptor on its surface.
CD4 cells coordinate the immune response, which signals other
cells in the immune system to perform their special functions. The
number of CD4 cells in a sample of blood is an indicator of the
health of the immune system. HIV infects and kills CD4 cells, which
leads to a weakened immune system.
See Also: CD4 Cell Count
CD4 Receptor

CD4 Cell Count
A measurement of the number of CD4 cells in a sample of blood.
The CD4 count is one of the most useful indicators of the health of
the immune system and the progression of HIV/AIDS. A CD4 cell
count is used by health care providers to determine when to begin,
interrupt, or halt anti-HIV therapy; when to give preventive treatment
for opportunistic infections; and to measure response to treatment.
A normal CD4 cell count is between 500 and 1,400 cells/mm
3
of blood, but an individual’s CD4 count can vary. In HIV-infected
individuals, a CD4 count at or below 200 cells/mm is considered
3
an AIDS-defining condition.
See Also: CD4 Cell
HIV/AIDS Glossary 21