CD8 Tcells a marker for ebv reactivation

[heapsreal]

increased reactivity of single immunodominant CD8(+) EBV-specific T-cell clones may occur in response to virus replication. This is from an article at PRohealth who print some good research documents http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=16653.

The bond uni study who are looking into nk dysfunction in cfs also have found poor cd8 lymphocyte function in cfs patients, could this be the reason why EBV reactivation is common in cfs/me. My doc has used cd8 lymphocytes as a marker for ebv/cmv reactivation as viral titres arent commonly done here in the land down under, maybe he knows alot more about this stuff then other aussie docs give him credit for.

A quick google of cd8 lymphocytes and ebv or cmv gives you alot of hits. If u are unable to get viral titres done and your doc says that you test positive to a past infection to ebv or cmv ie IgG antibodies, ask for a lymphocyte subset test which will measure cd8 t cells and if high then theres a good chance that they are reactivating. Also cd3 and cd56 are nk cells and if high or low there could be other infections going on, that could be said for any of the t-cells but cd8 is more specific for ebv/cmv.

cheers!!!

 

[sianrecovery]

Hi Heaps

could you clarify - would you be expecting to find high or low numbers for cd8 cells? My white blood count is low, but I havent yet tried badgering the doctor for a lymphocyte subset - sounds like a good move

 

[heapsreal]

I think the white blood count can be different to the lymphocyte count. pre antivirals my total lymphocyte count was high as well as my cd8 count, until recently has just came back normal after 2 years of antivirals. For me personally most of my cd sub sets were elevated.

To answer your question, i would expect high cd8 count if you have an active ebv or cmv infection, not sure about hhv6. Also i think if you have low white cell count or lymphocyte count or cd sub set count then its a sign your immune system is tiring and maybe need some type of immune modulator.

cheers!!!

 

[alex3619]

Hi, there is an open question attached to the issue of high or low CD8 count. Is it possible that production of CD8 cells could be compromised, leading to low CD8 even with EBV reactivation? At this point we are still guessing, the good thing though is that we are now able to focus our attention to ever more specific immune factors. I do think we will have answers, but I cannot say when that will be, nor how quickly that will lead to treatments. The time delay for treating CFS could be as little as six months with political will and funding (after a major discovery, compare with new flu vaccine timelines) but twenty years or more is also not out of the questions (e.g. Ampligen).

Bye
Alex

 

[heapsreal]

Hi, there is an open question attached to the issue of high or low CD8 count. Is it possible that production of CD8 cells could be compromised, leading to low CD8 even with EBV reactivation? At this point we are still guessing, the good thing though is that we are now able to focus our attention to ever more specific immune factors. I do think we will have answers, but I cannot say when that will be, nor how quickly that will lead to treatments. The time delay for treating CFS could be as little as six months with political will and funding (after a major discovery, compare with new flu vaccine timelines) but twenty years or more is also not out of the questions (e.g. Ampligen).

Bye
Alex

Good answr Alex. From what i have read about cd8 cells and other t-cells like cd4 etc is that they arent routinely high or low in cfs, many cfs experts like to say T-cell abnormalites, which i think means high and or low T-cells. All my t-cell subsets have tested high, once i add a low cd4/cd8 ratio even though individually they were both high, not sure what that means, i was feeling extra sick when i had this test but could be a co-incidence.
I suppose having a low cd8 count would make it hard to fight an ebv infection but also wonder if those who have high cd8 numbers maybe have poor cd8 activity so their immune system tries to compensate by making more cd8 cells, just a guess.

cheers!!!