CD8A and HIV-1 infection: This review provides an updated overview of the roles of individual STAT proteins in HIV-1 infection and pathogenesis, emphasizing the intricate interplay between viral factors and host signaling, highlighting the potential therapeutic implications, and suggesting that immunological assessment in HIV-1 patients should extend beyond CD4+ T cell counts and the CD4/CD8 ratio to include functional analysis of STAT signaling for deeper insights into immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation.