[HIV infection in stage IV C-2 (CDC). Increase in the p24 antigen value before critical decrease in CD4+ lymphocytes]

The Center for Disease Control proposed a classification system of HIV-infection including a symptomatic stage IV C-2 with secondary infections like thrush, oral hairy leukoplakia and herpes zoster. Because the prognostic value of these symptoms for the development of AIDS has been proven and the CDC-classification does not include any immunological parameters we analyzed the numbers of CD4+-lymphocytes and the frequency of HIV-antigen in 65 HIV-infected individuals. When entering stage IV C-2, the incidence of HIV-antigenemia was as high as in full blown AIDS (53% and 60%, respectively). However, we observed no decrease of CD4+-lymphocytes as compared to earlier CDC-stages.--We conclude that in stage IV C-2 the increase of viral protein production proceeds independently from CD4+-status.