CD4 and infection: Furthermore, no relationship was observed between baseline Nef-mediated CD4 or HLA downregulation function and plasma viral load (Spearman's r = 0.05, p = 0.7 and r = 0.1, p = 0.4, respectively, not shown), or CD4 count (Spearman's r = 0.1, p = 0.3; and r = −0.09, p = 0.5, respectively, not shown) at 12 months post-infection.