CD4 and infection: This was consistent with the observation that in cultures exposed to CHC-1 inoculum, which induced the highest levels of HCV RNA positive strand and detectable HCV RNA negative strand, the inhibition in CD4+ T cell proliferation appeared earlier, i.e., 4 d.p.i. In the cells exposed to CHC-2 inoculum, T cell proliferative and phenotypic changes were seen in the absence of detectable HCV replicative intermediate and after 10-fold lower multiplicity of infection compared to cells exposed to CHC-1.