Idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia

Idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia, abbreviated ICL, is a rare medical syndrome in which the body has too few CD4+ T lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell. It is sometimes called HIV-negative AIDS, although its clinical picture differs somewhat from HIV/AIDS. People with ICL have a weakened immune system and are susceptible to opportunistic infections, though the rate of infection is lower than in people with AIDS. Diagnosis requires low CD4+ counts on repeated measurements over at least six weeks, evidence that HIV infection is absent, and no alternative explanation. The cause is unknown and does not appear to be a transmissible agent. Prognosis is generally good, but the condition can precede certain blood cancers and may be linked to autoimmune disease.