Leveraging CD4 Cell Count at Entry Into Care to Monitor Success of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention, Treatment, and Public Health Programming in the Greater St Louis Area Between 2017 and 2020

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2023 Sep 18;10(10):ofad477. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofad477. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Abstract

CD4 cell count at entry into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care is a useful indicator of success of multiple steps in HIV public health programming. We demonstrate that CD4 cell count at care initiation was stable in St Louis between 2017 and 2019 but declined in 2020. Missouri efforts in the Ending the HIV Epidemic plan should focus on rapidly identifying individuals with undiagnosed HIV infection.

Keywords: CD4 cell count; EHE; HIV; ending the HIV epidemic; linkage to care.