CD8A and infection: Importantly, the increase in CD4+:CD8+ T cell ratio is often believed to be due to the expansion of CD4+ T cells following viral suppression, with CD8+ T cells remaining abnormal.14 Further research into the imbalance of CD8+ T cell modulation in early HIV infection and persistence of elevated CD8+ T cells in later infection may help to understand why the CD4+:CD8+ T cell ratio does not restore to normal levels.15–17