HIV infection leads to inexorable loss of CD4 cells over time. Though there is often lymphadenopathy with acute HIV infection and late as AIDS develops, the structure of the lymph node is being altered. Shown here is follicular lysis in AIDS, as the numbers of CD4 cells diminishes and the follicles no longer function effectively.

By flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood in AIDS, shown at the right, the CD4 cells, which should be more numerous than the CD8 cells, are greatly decreased.