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Case 1: Indications for Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy

You answered:

C Antiretroviral therapy is recommended for patients who have an AIDS-defining clinical illness, but only if their CD4 count is less than 350 cells/mm3.

This answer is incorrect. According to the January 2008 DHHS antiretroviral therapy guidelines, any AIDS-defining clinical illness, such as Pneumocystis pneumonia or Kaposi's sarcoma, would be an indication to start antiretroviral therapy, regardless of the patient's CD4 cell count or HIV RNA level.

A Antiretroviral therapy is recommended for patients who are co-infected with hepatitis B virus when treatment for hepatitis B virus is indicated, regardless of the patient's CD4 cell count.
B Antiretroviral therapy is recommended for patients who have a CD4 count less than 200 cells/mm3, but only if they have an AIDS-defining clinical illness.
D Antiretroviral therapy should not be offered to an asymptomatic patient with a CD4 cell count between 200-350 cells/mm3, unless their HIV RNA level is greater than 100,000 copies/ml.

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