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abdominal in the area of your belly.
acute infection early infection (first few months with HIV).
adefovir anti-viral drug used to treat hepatitis B.
adherence taking your medicine at the right time in the right way.
AIDS acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
ALT alanine aminotransferase, a liver enzyme.
amniocentesis test in which cells around a fetus are removed and examined to detect genetic abnormalities.
anaemia shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
antibiotic drug used to treat bacterial infections. Sometimes they work against other kinds of infection.
antibody cells in your immune system that recognise antigens.
anti-fungal drug used to treat fungus infections.
antigen infectious material produced by a virus or bacteria.
ARV, anti-retroviral drug that works against a retrovirus, eg treatment for HIV.
AST aspartate aminotransferase, a liver enzyme.
asymptomatic showing no signs of illness.
Area Under the Curve (AUC) total exposure to drug over the dosing period.
axis line on a graph to measure data. Graphs usually have a vertical axis (y-axis) and horizontal axis (x-axis). An axis should show what is being measured and the units of measurement, eg 'time (in minutes)'.
bacteria single-cell micro-organisms without a nucleus.
bDNA branched DNA. A type of viral load test.
benign not harmful.
BI budding inhibitor. Class of HIV drug.
bilateral both sides.
blip small, occasional increase in viral load.
blood sugar glucose in the blood. When carbohydrates are digested they produce glucose, which circulates in the blood and is used by the body as fuel.
brand name drug drug supplied under a marketing name. Brand name drugs are usually protected by patents, but some generic drugs also have brand names.
buprenorphine strong pain-killer useful for treating heroin addiction.
cancer disease caused by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
candida fungus (yeast) infection that affects the mouth and throat, gullet, sinuses, genital organs and – rarely – the brain
carcinoma cancer in tissues covering or lining organs of the body, such as the skin, the uterus, the lung, or the breast.
CART combination anti-retroviral therapy.
CCR5 inhibitor type of HIV drug (an entry inhibitor).
CD4 cell cell (lymphocyte) in your immune system that signals CD8 cells to destroy a virus. CD4 cells are also used by HIV as factories to reproduce in
CD4 count number of CD4 cells in a drop of your blood. CD4 counts are measured in cells/mm3.
CD4% percentage of total lymphocytes (white blood cells) that are CD4 cells,
CD8 cell cell (lymphocyte) in your immune system that kills cells that are infected with HIV.
CDC Centre for Disease Control, part of the USA health administration.
central line tube inserted into a deep vein to deliver medicine (Hickman line or PortaCath).
cervical smear test to look for abnormal cells in the cervix and uterus.
cholesterol kind of lipid.
chorionic villus sampling test in which cells around an embryo are removed and examined to detect genetic abnormalities.
chronic long-term.
chronic infection established infection (everything after the first 6 months)
clinical failure When the drugs are not stopping you from getting ill.
Cmax highest concentration of a drug after a dose.
Cmin or Ctrough lowest concentration of a drug just before the next dose.
CMV (cytomegalovirus) a viral infection.
coinfection having two infections, eg HIV and TB.
combination mixture of drugs to treat HIV.
combination therapy using 3 or more drugs together. Also called triple therapy, potent or effective therapy or HAART (highly active anti-retroviral therapy).
compartment place in the body that has barriers limiting both HIV and HIV drugs from moving freely.
cross-resistance mutation that causes resistance to more than one drug.
cryptococcus (crypto) a fungal infection. Can cause meningitis.
C-section Caesarean section, procedure to deliver a baby that involves making a cut through the abdominal wall to surgically remove the infant from the uterus.
CSF cerebral spinal fluid – the fluid that circulates around the brain and spinal column.
Ctrough another word for Cmin.
cubic millimitre (mm3) a measure of a volume. Same as microlitre (µL) and million parts per litre (106/L).
decimal fraction a fraction turned into a number by dividing the top part by the bottom part.
diabetes when the body does not produce enough insulin (a hormone that helps the body turn sugar into energy).
diagnosis identifying the cause of an illness.
DOT (directly observed therapy) where a nurse or other healthcare worker sees you take your medicine.
Dronabinol medicinal marijuana.
drug resistant (HIV) HIV that is harder to treat because of genetic changes.
dual therapy using 2 drugs together.
duration how long.
duration of ruptured membranes time between when the mother's waters break and the actual delivery.
entry inhibitor (EI) Class of anti-HIV drug.
empirical treatment treating an illness based on its symptoms to see if the get better.
encephalitis inflammation of the brain.
enzyme a protein that triggers chemical reactions in the body.
even distribution where most results are in the middle and a roughly similar number of results fall either side. Also called bell-shaped or 'normal' distribution.
fixed dose combination (FDC) several drugs combined in one tablet at a standard dose.
fetal of the unborn baby.
frequency how often.
fungus (fungi) parasitic organisms that include moulds, mildews, mushrooms and yeast.
fusion inhibitor type of HIV drug (an entry inhibitor).
generic drug drug supplied under its common (chemical) name.
genotype genetic origin.
glucose blood sugar. When carbohydrates are digested they produce glucose, which circulates in the blood and is used by the body as fuel.
graph diagram used to show complicated information in an easy to understand way.
gynaecological of the female reproductive system.
HAART highly active anti-retroviral therapy.
half-life time taken to reduce the highest concentration of a drug by half.
haemoglobin substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
HAV hepatitis A virus.
HBV hepatitis B virus.
HCV hepatitis C virus.
HD Hodgkins disease.
hepatitis infection that causes liver inflammation, usually a virus.
HHV-8 human herpes virus 8.
Hickman line central line.
HIV human immunodeficiency virus.
HIV PCR DNA test test that looks for HIV virus in blood.
HPV human papilloma virus, family of viruses including ones that cause genital and anal warts.
IDU injecting drug user.
immune system different parts of your body used to fight infections.
in vitro study in a test tube. Literally, 'in glass'.
induction in the liver, processing drugs more quickly.
inhibition in the liver, processing drugs more slowly.
INI integrase inhibitor. Class of HIV drug.
insulin a hormone that helps the body turn sugar into energy.
interaction result of drugs reacting with each other, often in ways that are unexpected or potentially harmful.
interferon and PEG interferon injected treatment for hepatitis infection.
internal fetal labour monitoring where an electrode is inserted through the vagina and placed on the baby's scalp to record the baby's heart rate during labour.
Inter-Quartile Range (IQR) for a median average, the range of the middle half of the results.
IRIS immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, illness caused by body's reaction to starting HIV treatment.
IV intravenous (injected into a vein).
jaundice yellow eyes or skin.
KS Kaposi's sarcoma.
lactate waste product produced when sugar is turned into energy by the body.
lactic acidosis dangerous build up of lactate in the blood.
latent inactive.
lesion damage to a part of the body.
lipids blood fats.
lipoatrophy fat loss in your arms, legs or face. A type of lipodystrophy.
lipodystrophy fat loss in your arms, legs or face, or fat gain in abdomen, breasts and shoulders
log value a number shown as a factor of 10.
low insulin sensitivity when the body does use insulin as well as usual (also called insulin resistance).
lumbar puncture taking a sample of spinal fluid by inserting a needle into the body at the base of the spine. Also called a spinal tap.
lymph node small bodies in the lymphatic system, particularly at the neck, armpit, and groin, that filter bacteria and foreign particles. During infection, lymph nodes may become swollen with white blood cells (lymphocytes) fighting the infection.
lymph (or lymphatic) system vessel, nodes, organs and clear fluid, that are part of the immune system.
lymphocyte white blood cell.
lymphoma cancer in the lymphatic system.
macrophage large white blood cell that engulfs infectious organisms and waste material from dead cells.
malaria a parasitic infection of red blood cells.
malignant dangerous.
mean average where all the results are added together, and then divided by the number of results to find the average.
Minimum Effective Concentration (MEC) lowest amount of a drug in the body that is effective.
median average where the results are all arranged in numerical order and the middle of the range is taken as the average.
meningitis inflammation of the meninges (part of the brain).
methadone man-made opiate used to treat heroin addiction.
mg milligram.
millilitre (mL) a measure of a volume of liquid.
mitochondria energy producing factories that live within our cells.
mixed feeding breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
MSM men who have sex with men.
monotherapy using 1 drug.
mortality dying.
multi-disciplinary team approach to care, involving several different professionals.
mutation change in the genetic structure of an organism.
NASBA nucleic acid sequence based amplification. A type of viral load test.
natural history the pattern a disease follows if it is not treated.
nausea feeling sick in the stomach.
NHL Non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
non-nuke non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or NNRTI, a class of anti-HIV drug. Efavirenz and nevirapine belong to this class.
nucleus the central part of some cells that contains DNA
nuke nucleoside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor or RTI, a class of anti-HIV drug. AZT, 3TC, d4T, ddI, abacavir and tenofovir belong to this class.
oesophagus part of the gut between the throat and the stomach.
opiate drug originating from the opium poppy, including heroin, codeine and morphine.
opportunistic infection (OI) infection that occurs after your immune system has been damaged by HIV.
organogenesis development of baby’s main organs in the first 12 weeks in the womb.
outreach service which goes out to find and engage people.
parasite an animal or plant that get nutrients and support from another species.
PCP pneumocystis jiroveci (new) or pneumocystis carinii (old). A fungal infection that causes pneumonia.
PCR polymerase chain reaction. A type of viral load test.
peer support support provided by people who share the same experience or problem.
percentage a number as a proportion of 100.
percutaneous umbilical cord sampling see cordocentis.
performance stage WHO classification of progress of HIV infection
pharmacist medical person who gives out drugs.
pharmokinetics study of how drugs are absorbed and eliminated from the body.
primary HIV infection (PHI) early infection (first few months with HIV). Another phrase for acute HIV infection.
protease inhibitor (PI) a class of anti-HIV drug. Kaletra belongs to this class.
platelet blood cell that helps with clotting.
peripheral neuropathy damage to the nerves in your hands or feet.
PortaCath central line.
prematurity delivery before 37 weeks.
prenatal before birth.
prophylaxis treatment to prevent an illness.
protozoa single-celled animals that are larger and more complex than bacteria.
pulmonary of the lungs.
R
range for a median average, the highest and lowest results.
resistance when the genetic structure of an organism changes in ways that stops a drug from working.
resistance test test to show changes to HIV that cause resistance.
retinitis inflammation of the retina.
retrovirus family of viruses that includes HIV.
ribavirin anti-viral used to treat hepatitis C
ritonavir a PI used mainly to make other PIs work better instead of to treat HIV.
sanctuary site see compartment.
sarcoma cancer of the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, skin or other connective tissue.
seroconversion an immune reaction (developing antibodies) to a new infection. In developing antibodies to the HIV virus, some people become very ill during seroconversion, others do not.
seroreversion when the baby no longer has the mother's antibodies to HIV.
severity how bad.
SIDA abbreviation for AIDS in French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.
side effect unwanted effect from taking a medicine.
Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) information about a drug provided by the maker.
spinal tap lumbar puncture.
standard deviation from a mean average, degree of variation.
STI sexually transmitted infection, eg herpes, gonorrhoea and syphilis.
subcutaneous under the skin.
substitution therapy using a prescription drug, eg methadone, to stop using heroin.
surrogate marker an indirect measure for something else that can not be easily measured directly (ie a CD4 count is an indirect marker for HIV disease).
symptom sign of illness.
symptomatic showing signs of illness.
syphilis a bacterial infection usually transmitted by sexual contact that can cause serious injury to an unborn baby.
T½ another word for half-life of a drug.
T cell CD4 cell
TB tuberculosis, a bacterial infection that commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but which can affect other organs.
theoretical on paper, a plausible guess based on how things work.
Tmax time taken to get to the highest concentration of a drug after a dose.
toxicity harmful effect.
toxoplasmosis (toxo) an illness caused by a protozoa.
triglycerides kind of lipid.
trimester 12 weeks of a pregnancy.
type 2 diabetes when the body does not produce enough insulin.
undetectable an amount smaller than the test can measure. For viral load tests, this means below 400 or below 50, depending on the make of test.
uneven distribution where most results fall to the left (positive skewness) or right (negative skewness) of the middle of the range.
resistance test test to show changes to HIV that cause resistance.
viral load test test that look at the amount of virus. This is usually in a small sample of blood, but viral load test can also be used to check viral levels in other kinds of sample like genital fluid, semen or spinal fluid.
virological failure if viral load levels never reach undetectable.
virology study of viruses.
virus infectious organism that can only reproduce inside the cell of another plant or animal.
wasting loss of lean body mass.
weight loss a general reduction in weight.
WHO World Health Organisation.
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Last updated on Monday 26th November 2007.
