CD8A and leprosy: After prednisone treatment, CD8+/CD38+ T circulating cell levels were higher in those HIV/leprosy patients who also had the highest activation levels during IRIS/RR, specifically individuals Hs009, Hs033, Hs040, and Hs043 (Fig. 2A), in comparison to the Hs015 and Hs024 patients, whose activation levels were lower at both time points.