CD8A and AIDS: This concept is supported by data showing that CD8+ T cell responses are associated temporally with reduction of viral load after acute infection [10], [11], specific MHC class I alleles are associated with slower progression of HIV/AIDS [12], [13], CD8+ T cells are largely responsible for controlling SIV viremia [14], [15], and mutation of dominant CD8+ T cell epitopes is a major mechanism of immune escape in HIV and SIV infection [16], [17].