Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhite Blood CellsRed Blood CellsPlatelets
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
White Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells
Platelets
Acomplete blood count (CBC)is a test routinely performed for people living withHIVto monitor for signs of other infections, assess the response to treatment, and identify drug side effects likeanemia.
A CBC measures the number and proportion of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your blood.It is one of several blood tests routinely performed when you are onantiretroviral therapy, alongside aCD4 count,viral load,liver function tests, andkidney function tests.
The article explains how a CBC is used to manage HIV, including what high and low values of each type of blood cell mean.
White Blood Cell Count
A white blood cell (WBC) count is one of the tests included in the CBC.
A WBC count provides the total number of leukocytes in a sample of blood, as well as a breakdown of the amount of each type, including:
Normal WBC CountWhite blood cells are measured in cells per microliter of blood (cells/mL). A normal total WBC count is generally defined as:Children: 5,000 to 10,000 cells/mLAdult females: 4,500 to 11,000 cells/mLAdult males: 5,000 to 10,000 cells/mL
Normal WBC Count
White blood cells are measured in cells per microliter of blood (cells/mL). A normal total WBC count is generally defined as:Children: 5,000 to 10,000 cells/mLAdult females: 4,500 to 11,000 cells/mLAdult males: 5,000 to 10,000 cells/mL
White blood cells are measured in cells per microliter of blood (cells/mL). A normal total WBC count is generally defined as:
Because your body will produce more white blood cells whenever faced with a threat, ahigh WBC countmay be a sign that your body is fighting an infection.
With that said, an increase in different types of white blood cells can mean different things. For instance, a high eosinophil count may suggest a parasitic infection liketoxoplasmosis, while a high basophil count may suggest an adverse reaction to a drug.
On the other hand, alow WBC countsuggests that something is affecting the bone marrow’s ability to produce white blood cells. This may be due tocertain medications used to treat HIV infections, like Zirgan (ganciclovir), or a potentially severe condition liketuberculosisorB cell lymphoma.
Why Can’t I Get My CD4 Count Up?
Red Blood Cell Count
A red blood cell (RBC) count is used to measure the total number ofred blood cells(erythrocytes) in a sample of blood. These cells are responsible for transporting oxygen to the cells and tissues of the body.
Other values measured as part of the RBC include:
Normal RBC Count
Alow RBC countis a sign ofanemia, a condition in which you lack enough red blood cells to carry sufficient amounts of oxygen to tissues. A low hemoglobin count can also cause anemia.
Anemia is a common side effect of the antiretroviral drug Retrovir (zidovudine) and the combination drugs Combivir (zidovudine/lamivudine) and Trizivir (zidovudine/lamivudine/abacavir).
An abnormallyhigh RBC count(polycythemia) is uncommon with HIV infection. With that said, people ontestosterone replacement therapyfor the treatment ofHIV wastingor HIV-associatedhypogonadismwill often have a higher-than-normal RBC count.
Platelet Count
Platelets(thrombocytes) are colorless blood cells involved in blood clotting.
Normal Platelet CountA normal platelet count can decrease as a person ages. In adults, it is generally defined as:Children: 150,000 and 400,000 cells/mLAdults: 150,000 and 400,000 cells/mLPlatelet counts are considered low when they are under 50,000 cells/mL.
Normal Platelet Count
A normal platelet count can decrease as a person ages. In adults, it is generally defined as:Children: 150,000 and 400,000 cells/mLAdults: 150,000 and 400,000 cells/mLPlatelet counts are considered low when they are under 50,000 cells/mL.
A normal platelet count can decrease as a person ages. In adults, it is generally defined as:
Platelet counts are considered low when they are under 50,000 cells/mL.
Platelet counts are rarely so high as to cause health problems.Low platelet counts(thrombocytopenia), on the other hand, can lead to easy bleeding or bruising, and, when severe, life-threatening internal bleeding.
Thrombocytopenia is associated withchronic(long-term) HIV infection, primarily in people with advanced disease who are not yet on treatment. Thrombocytopenia affects 4%–40% of people with HIV globally.
Certain antiretroviral drugs likeFuzeon (enfuvirtide)can cause low platelet counts, as can certain opportunistic infections like CMV andmycobacterium avium complex (MAC).
Summary
A complete blood count (CBC) is a panel of tests routinely performed on people living with HIV. it measures the composition of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in a sample of blood. Changes above or below the normal range of values may be a sign of an infection or drug toxicity.
Based on the results of a CBC, a doctor can investigate the possible causes of high or low blood cell counts, ideally before a condition becomes serious.
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12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.HIV.gov.Lab tests and why they are important.MedlinePlus.WBC count.Huson MA, Hoogendijk AJ, de Vos AF, Grobusch MP, van der Poll T.The impact of HIV infection on blood leukocyte responsiveness to bacterial stimulation in asymptomatic patients and patients with bloodstream infection.J Int AIDS Soc. 2016;19(1):20759. doi:10.7448/IAS.19.1.20759Chou A, Serpa JA.Eosinophilia in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2015;12(3):313-316. doi:10.1007/s11904-015-0272-xMedlinePlus.RBC count.GlaxoSmithKline.Package insert - Retrovir (zidovudine).Xie B, Huang W, Hu Y, et al.Anemia and opportunistic infections in hospitalized people living with HIV: a retrospective study.BMC Infect Dis. 2022;22(1):912. Published 2022 Dec 7. doi:10.1186/s12879-022-07910-5Corona G G, Rastrelli G, Maseroli E, Sforza A, Maggi M.Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Cardiovascular Risk: A Review [published correction appears in World J Mens Health]. 2016 Aug;34(2):154. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.2016.34.2.154].World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):130-142. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.130MedlinePlus.Platelet count.Ghoshal K, Bhattacharyya M.Overview of platelet physiology: Its hemostatic and nonhemostatic role in disease pathogenesis.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:781857. doi:10.1155/2014/781857Getawa S, Aynalem M, Bayleyegn B, Adane T.The global prevalence of thrombocytopenia among HIV-infected adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Infect Dis. 2021;105:495-504. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.02.118Prokofjeva MM, Kochetkov SN, Prassolov VS.Therapy of HIV infection: current approaches and prospects.Acta Naturae. 2016;8(4):23-32.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.HIV.gov.Lab tests and why they are important.MedlinePlus.WBC count.Huson MA, Hoogendijk AJ, de Vos AF, Grobusch MP, van der Poll T.The impact of HIV infection on blood leukocyte responsiveness to bacterial stimulation in asymptomatic patients and patients with bloodstream infection.J Int AIDS Soc. 2016;19(1):20759. doi:10.7448/IAS.19.1.20759Chou A, Serpa JA.Eosinophilia in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2015;12(3):313-316. doi:10.1007/s11904-015-0272-xMedlinePlus.RBC count.GlaxoSmithKline.Package insert - Retrovir (zidovudine).Xie B, Huang W, Hu Y, et al.Anemia and opportunistic infections in hospitalized people living with HIV: a retrospective study.BMC Infect Dis. 2022;22(1):912. Published 2022 Dec 7. doi:10.1186/s12879-022-07910-5Corona G G, Rastrelli G, Maseroli E, Sforza A, Maggi M.Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Cardiovascular Risk: A Review [published correction appears in World J Mens Health]. 2016 Aug;34(2):154. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.2016.34.2.154].World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):130-142. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.130MedlinePlus.Platelet count.Ghoshal K, Bhattacharyya M.Overview of platelet physiology: Its hemostatic and nonhemostatic role in disease pathogenesis.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:781857. doi:10.1155/2014/781857Getawa S, Aynalem M, Bayleyegn B, Adane T.The global prevalence of thrombocytopenia among HIV-infected adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Infect Dis. 2021;105:495-504. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.02.118Prokofjeva MM, Kochetkov SN, Prassolov VS.Therapy of HIV infection: current approaches and prospects.Acta Naturae. 2016;8(4):23-32.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
HIV.gov.Lab tests and why they are important.MedlinePlus.WBC count.Huson MA, Hoogendijk AJ, de Vos AF, Grobusch MP, van der Poll T.The impact of HIV infection on blood leukocyte responsiveness to bacterial stimulation in asymptomatic patients and patients with bloodstream infection.J Int AIDS Soc. 2016;19(1):20759. doi:10.7448/IAS.19.1.20759Chou A, Serpa JA.Eosinophilia in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2015;12(3):313-316. doi:10.1007/s11904-015-0272-xMedlinePlus.RBC count.GlaxoSmithKline.Package insert - Retrovir (zidovudine).Xie B, Huang W, Hu Y, et al.Anemia and opportunistic infections in hospitalized people living with HIV: a retrospective study.BMC Infect Dis. 2022;22(1):912. Published 2022 Dec 7. doi:10.1186/s12879-022-07910-5Corona G G, Rastrelli G, Maseroli E, Sforza A, Maggi M.Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Cardiovascular Risk: A Review [published correction appears in World J Mens Health]. 2016 Aug;34(2):154. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.2016.34.2.154].World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):130-142. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.130MedlinePlus.Platelet count.Ghoshal K, Bhattacharyya M.Overview of platelet physiology: Its hemostatic and nonhemostatic role in disease pathogenesis.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:781857. doi:10.1155/2014/781857Getawa S, Aynalem M, Bayleyegn B, Adane T.The global prevalence of thrombocytopenia among HIV-infected adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Infect Dis. 2021;105:495-504. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.02.118Prokofjeva MM, Kochetkov SN, Prassolov VS.Therapy of HIV infection: current approaches and prospects.Acta Naturae. 2016;8(4):23-32.
HIV.gov.Lab tests and why they are important.
MedlinePlus.WBC count.
Huson MA, Hoogendijk AJ, de Vos AF, Grobusch MP, van der Poll T.The impact of HIV infection on blood leukocyte responsiveness to bacterial stimulation in asymptomatic patients and patients with bloodstream infection.J Int AIDS Soc. 2016;19(1):20759. doi:10.7448/IAS.19.1.20759
Chou A, Serpa JA.Eosinophilia in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2015;12(3):313-316. doi:10.1007/s11904-015-0272-x
MedlinePlus.RBC count.
GlaxoSmithKline.Package insert - Retrovir (zidovudine).
Xie B, Huang W, Hu Y, et al.Anemia and opportunistic infections in hospitalized people living with HIV: a retrospective study.BMC Infect Dis. 2022;22(1):912. Published 2022 Dec 7. doi:10.1186/s12879-022-07910-5
Corona G G, Rastrelli G, Maseroli E, Sforza A, Maggi M.Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Cardiovascular Risk: A Review [published correction appears in World J Mens Health]. 2016 Aug;34(2):154. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.2016.34.2.154].World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):130-142. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.130
MedlinePlus.Platelet count.
Ghoshal K, Bhattacharyya M.Overview of platelet physiology: Its hemostatic and nonhemostatic role in disease pathogenesis.ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:781857. doi:10.1155/2014/781857
Getawa S, Aynalem M, Bayleyegn B, Adane T.The global prevalence of thrombocytopenia among HIV-infected adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Infect Dis. 2021;105:495-504. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.02.118
Prokofjeva MM, Kochetkov SN, Prassolov VS.Therapy of HIV infection: current approaches and prospects.Acta Naturae. 2016;8(4):23-32.
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