12-21-2014, 08:31 PM
A 24-year-old male is hospitalized because of a three-week history of low-grade fever, dry cough, chest pain and 10-pound weight loss. His past medical history is insignificant. He denies alcohol consumption and IV drug use. He has not traveled recently and had no known contact with a TB patient. He has had one sexual partner over the last year. He occasionally uses condoms for contraception. His blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg and his heart rate is 110/min. His chest x-ray shows an infiltrate in the right middle lobe. His sputum is AFB positive. ELISA for HIV is ordered. If the patient turns out to be HIV positive, which of the following will be the best indicator of his current immune status?
A. Viral load
B. CD4 count
C. CD4/CD8 ratio
D. p24 antibody titers
E. p41antibody titers
A. Viral load
B. CD4 count
C. CD4/CD8 ratio
D. p24 antibody titers
E. p41antibody titers