DETERMINATION OF T-LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS ON SITE IN RURAL TANZANIA - RESULTS IN HIV-1-INFECTED AND NONINFECTED INDIVIDUALS

With the FACSCount(TM) flow cytometer, counts of CD4, CD8 and CD3 lymp hocytes and CD4/CD8 ratios were performed in a rural hospital in Tanza nia. A total of 168 subjects (21 HIV-1 seropositive and 147 HIV-1 sero negative) were tested as part of a population-based serosurvey and AID S education programme; 134 other subjects were hospitalized patients w ho had signs and symptoms suggestive of AIDS (69 HIV-1 seropositive an d 65 HIV-seronegative). Mean values for the 147 HN-I seronegative subj ects from the local population were 980 CD4 cells (95% CI 930, 1031), 598 CD8 cells (560, 635) and CD4/CD8 ratio 1.78 (1.68, 1.89). Seroposi tive subjects from the local population had significantly lower CD4 ce ll counts, higher CD8 counts and a lower CD4/CD8 ratio. CD4 cells were significantly lower and CD8 cells significantly higher in HIV-1 serop ositive hospital patients compared to HIV-1 seronegative patients. How ever, 23 (35%) seronegative hospital patients had CD4 counts lon er th an 600. These results establish baseline values for the lymphocyte sub sets in this population and indicate that this technique can be used i n remote areas to monitor progress of HIV-infected individuals.