Glossary |
| Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) The condition that results from infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which destroys the body’s immune system. AIDS is characterized by severe and often life-threatening infections and cancers.
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power. An HIV/AIDS activist organization.
Describes a disease that develops rapidly with severe symptoms and lasts for a short time.
Substances (often mineral oils) that can be used as part of a vaccine to increase the body’s immune response to the vaccine. Alum, which was first licensed over 50 years ago, is a commonly used adjuvant.
A medicine which is inhaled as a mist via a nebulizer and which is effective against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the lungs.
AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) A network of clinical researchers in the USA who run studies on HIV/AIDS. The network is co-ordinated by the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes for Health (NIH) in the USA.
A collection of HIV-related neurological symptoms, caused by the effects of HIV on the brain. Also known as HIV associated cognitive/motor complex, HIV-associated dementia (HVD) or NeuroAIDS.
AIDS service organization (ASO) A group operating at local, state or national level which provides services and assistance to people affected by HIV/AIDS. Usually based in the community and involving volunteers.
American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) An organization dedicated to promoting AIDS research and providing funding for its support.
Any of a large group of organic acids which link together to form proteins.
A synthetically produced nucleic acid (DNA and RNA naturally occurring nucleic acids).
A low level of haemoglobin (the vital oxygen carrying pigment in red blood cells) in the blood. Can cause tiredness, breathlessness on exertion and reduced resistance to infection.
Absence of/reduced immune response.
Antibodies are produced by cells in the immune system in response to foreign substances (e.g. bacteria, viruses) which invade the body. Antibodies bind to the foreign substance (called an antigen) making it easier for other immune cells to destroy the foreign substance. Antibodies can remain in the blood stream for years after exposure to an antigen.
People who have antibodies against HIV in their blood. This is a direct indication that the person is likely to be carrying HIV because the body only produces the antibodies once it has been exposed to the virus.
Any molecules which are recognized by the immune system, and which induce an immune response. Antigens include: bacteria, viruses, protozoa, chemicals, fungi.
A drug that prevents the development of neoplastic cells (cells that multiply more rapidly than normal and continue to multiply after the stimulus for new growth has ceased). Neoplastic cells usually form a distinct mass of tissue (tumour), which lacks functional coordination with the normal tissue surrounding it.
A substance that destroys or inhibits a retrovirus such as HIV.
A substance that destroys a virus or inhibits its replication.
Programmed cell death; one way in which the body is thought to get rid of cells which are no longer needed or could be destructive e.g. cancer cells. It is thought that HIV may destroy immune cells by ‘switching on’ this process.
A term that is not generally used today, but which describes the phase of illness prior to a diagnosis of AIDS. The terms symptomatic illness, HIV-related disease or HIV disease are now more commonly used.
Used to describe the condition of a person who has HIV infection but has not developed any symptoms (illnesses) attributable to the virus.
Wasting away. Used to describe a decrease in the size of, for example, muscles.
The process by which a virus becomes attached to its target host cell (HIV virus recognizes the CD4 receptor site and attaches via the receptor).
A vaccine prepared from a virus that has been modified to avoid the specific disease associated with that virus from developing, but that still appears like the original pathogen to the immune system. Thus, antibodies against the pathogen are still produced, providing immune protection without the disease.
When the body’s immune responses malfunction and are directed against one’s own body. Rheumatoid arthritis is thought to be an autoimmune disease.
The most widely used anti-HIV drug. Produced by Glaxo Wellcome, the brand name is Retrovir and the generic name is zidovudine.
The major chemical sub-unit of a nucleoside/nucleotide. Naturally occurring bases are purine or pyrimidine.
A class of white blood cell which plays a key role in immune function through the production of antibodies.
A small protein found in human cells. With HIV infection it is released into the blood as cells are destroyed by the virus. It may be used as an indicator that HIV is destroying cells in the immune system.
An individual whose sexual orientation is towards people of both sexes.
Study in which the participants do not (do) know which treatment(s) or drug(s) they are receiving. See also ‘double-blind’.
Collective term for fluids produced within the body, most commonly used to mean blood, semen, saliva and urine.
A UK network of self-help groups in which information and support is provided by people with HIV/AIDS for people with HIV/AIDS.
A type of fungus which can cause thrush in the mouth, vagina or oesophagus.
These are manufactured by plants and obtained from the diet by animals and humans. They are broken down into simple sugars in the body and provide an essential source of energy.
A protein which is found on the surface of certain cells in the immune system called T cells, T4 cells, or CD4 cells. CD4 protrudes from the surface of the cells and is the receptor site that HIV attaches to before it penetrates the host cell.
A type of white blood cell which displays the CD4 protein on its surface. These cells play a crucial ‘co-ordinating’ role in the immune system. HIV selectively targets these cells and destroys them undermining the immune system.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) A US federal health agency based in Atlanta. It provides national health and safety guidelines and collects and publishes statistical data and information on communicable diseases.
The brain and spinal cord.
A disease caused by a protozoan (Toxoplasma gondii) which usually causes mild symptoms, however it can cause fatal inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) in immunocompromised people (such as people with HIV).
Relating to the brain and spinal cord.
Protective fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Cancer of the cervix.
The neck of the uterus (womb) which projects into the vagina.
A small protein molecule involved in cell-to-cell communication in the immune response, released from certain cells after contact with an antigen.
A group of bacteria which can cause a variety of diseases, many of which are sexually transmitted.
A type of parasite which is an important cause of sexually transmitted diseases such as pelvic inflammatory disease in women and proctitis (inflammation of the rectum) in gay men.
An ongoing disease of long duration that progresses very slowly. The term does not indicate any degree of severity of the condition.
A list of illnesses or symptoms which are recorded in a clinical trial to assess the efficacy of a new treatment. For example in HIV infection, new treatment ‘A’ could be compared to new treatment ‘B’ by counting the number of instances of early symptoms of AIDS (e.g. Candida, herpes) or even death, amongst patients receiving treatment ‘A’ or ‘B’.
Clinical trials/studies The process by which drugs, vaccines, and other treatments are tested in humans. They are used to determine the efficacy, dosage and possible side effects of treatments. Data from clinical studies have to be approved by regulatory authorities before drugs can be released for sale.
A protein which forms part of the outer layer of a single virus particle.
An element that works with another, in order to aid its function.
The use of two or more drugs together to produce an enhanced or added therapeutic effect.
A person who charges for sex/sexual services.
Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) The organization which can recommend approval for the marketing of new drugs within European Community member countries. Individual countries then decide whether to adopt the recommendation.
A programme developed by the US Food and Drug Administration to supply experimental drugs to people who have exhausted all other possible therapeutic alternatives.
The central structure of a virus particle containing the genetic material (DNA or as in the case of HIV, RNA).
A UK charity devoted to raising and distributing funds for the support and care of people with HIV/AIDS.
Inflammation of the tissue membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord (meninges) caused by a fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans. Symptoms include intense headache, loss of appetite, rigidity of muscles (especially in the neck) and, in severe cases, convulsions, vomiting and delirium leading to death.
A drug that suppresses the immune system and is used after transplant operations to prevent the body rejecting the organ which it perceives to be foreign.
Substances which are released by certain cells when they come into contact with antigens. They act as chemical signals which can stimulate a variety of responses in the body, including generating an immune response.
A virus that causes opportunistic infections in people with AIDS. It can cause inflammation of the retina of the eye (CMV retinitis) which may result in blindness.
A term for something that damages or detroys cells.
A drug that damages or destroys cells. Cytotoxic drugs are used to treat a variety of types of cancer.
A nucleoside analogue, antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pharmacia & Upjohn
These are part of the nervous system.
A barrier, usually rubber or plastic, which is used primarily during oral sex to prevent vaginal secretions from entering the mouth.
A complex helical substance which forms the genetic code of most living things.
The leading AIDS service organization in Germany.
A reverse transcriptase inhibitor (also known as dideoxyinosine), antiretroviral agent used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb.
A nucleoside analogue, antiretroviral agent used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Hoffman-La Roche.
A nucleoside analogue (also known as didanosine), antiretroviral agent used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Clinical study design in which neither the participants nor the doctors running the study know who is receiving which treatments or drugs. This ensures objective evaluation of the treatment(s) being studied.
The power of, for example a drug, to produce intended results or effects.
A Bangkok-based women’s HIV community organization working to help and support prostitutes.
A disease caused by factors constantly present in the affected community.
The outermost layer of some types of viruses. This layer is made up lipids and proteins.
A key HIV gene. It codes for proteins which make up parts of the virus including the outer envelope.
Proteins produced by living cells which catalyse certain chemical reactions in the body.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) A diagnostic test which detects antibodies to HIV in blood samples.
A disease, usually infectious, which spreads quickly through a large part of the population. Caused by some special factor not generally present in the affected community.
The monitoring of a disease in order to assess any changes in incidence and/or prevalence of that disease. Often carried out at a national level through formalized reporting systems such as the WHO.
A very small part of an antigen that stimulates antibody formation.
European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) A network of European treatment activists which aims to increase community participation in setting the HIV research agenda, designing clinical trials and improving access to trials and information for people with HIV/AIDS.
European Council of AIDS Service Organizations (EuroCASO) The main network of non-governmental AIDS service organizations in Europe.
A system in the USA which allows people who meet certain criteria (usually that they have exhausted all other possible treatments for their condition) to receive treatments which are still in clinical study and have not been approved for marketing.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The regulatory authority in the USA which approves the use of new drugs, treatments and vaccines. It also monitors the use of products once they are on the market.
The gene which codes for the internal structural proteins of HIV.
The whole of the digestive system from the mouth to the anus.
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) A leading HIV community group in the USA that offers help and support to people with HIV/AIDS.
The basic unit of genetic material. Contains the code for a sub-unit of a protein.
The information carried in each cell that determines the nature of all proteins made by the cell.
The genetic code in living organisms.
Global AIDS Action Network (GAAN) An HIV community organization that facilitates NGO advocacy in international AIDS issues.
A protein with sugar molecules attached.
A sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacterium (Neiseria gonorrhoeae). Symptoms usually develop within a week of infection and include, pain on urination and discharge of pus from the penis or vagina, although some women experience no symptoms. Complications can include prevention of urination in males, arthritis, inflammation of the heart valves and infection of the eyes. Early treatment is usually effective.
A glycoprotein that protrudes from the outer coat of HIV and can bind to CD4 cells.
An HIV glycoprotein made up of gp120 and gp41.
An HIV glycoprotein that is part of gp160. It is embedded in the surface of the virus and may be involved in helping the virus fuse to the host cell.
Immune system cells that contain granules of toxic substances that enable the cells to digest foreign molecules.
An inherited condition, usually affecting only males, characterized by loss or impairment of the normal clotting ability of blood.
White warty-like growths on the sides of the tongue and cheeks. They are usually painless. It is thought to be caused by reactivation of the Epstein–Barr virus.
The amount of time it takes one half of a substance to be eliminated from the living tissue into which it has been introduced.
Individuals, such as doctors, nurses and dentists, whose professions are based on caring for the ill and injured.
An infectious disease caused by the herpes simplex virus. Causes inflammation and blistering most commonly on the lips (cold sores) or the genitals (genital herpes).
An infectious disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that caused chickenpox. Causes inflammation of the nerve endings, also known as shingles.
An individual whose sexual orientation is to people of the opposite sex.
There are two different types of the HIV virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is the more commonly found type. HIV-1 is predominant worldwide.
An individual whose sexual orientation is to people of the same sex.
Transmission of an infection, such as HIV, from one individual to another, other than from mother to child (see vertical transmission.)
An organism or cell which harbours a parasite.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) The name of the virus that causes AIDS.
A virus that commonly causes warts or cancers in humans. HPV is common in HIV-positive people and can proceed to fatal cancer with an aggressiveness not commonly seen in non-HIV-positive people.
Effects carried out via the fluids of the body.
Immunity brought about by antibodies.
Immunity associated with circulating antibodies.
The response of the immune system to antigens.
A complex system of cells and cell substances that helps the body to resist disease. It includes the thymus, spleen and lymph nodes.
The body’s ability to resist infection through the presence of antibodies specific to that infection. Usually present as a result of previous exposure to antigens of that particular infection.
The process of rendering a subject immune to an infection, e.g. by inoculation.
When an individual’s immune system is so weak that it does not offer resistance to infection.
Reduced ability of the immune system to respond and protect the body from disease.
Something that is capable of stimulating an immune response.
Compounds that stimulate or modify the body’s immune system.
Suppression of the immune response, usually by a disease or by drugs.
A protease inhibiting antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.
Refers to test tube experiments in the laboratory.
Refers to studies using living organisms.
The number of new cases of an infection in a defined population during a specified period of time (e.g. 20 new cases per 100,000 population per year).
The time between infection with a disease-causing agent like HIV, and the appearance of the first signs of illness caused by the agent.
A person who injects drugs for recreational (not medical) reasons.
A substance released by cells that have been invaded by a virus, which can either activate or suppress selected components of the immune system. Interferon is itself not an antiviral agent, but its effects on the immune system may inhibit viral replication. There are three main types of human interferon: alpha (a ), beta (b ) and gamma (g ).
A hormone-like protein that regulates the intensity and duration of immune responses and is involved in cell-to-cell communication.
International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) An international network of HIV community organizations with five regional networks. This structure encourages and facilitates the exchange of information and experience and the development of the global community response.
International HIV/AIDS Alliance The Alliance aims to provide resources to local non-governmental organizations in developing countries in order that they can sustain and expand their effort in HIV/AIDS prevention care and community support.
Within a vein of the body. Veins carry blood back to the heart.
Investigational New Drug (IND) The accreditation a new drug must have received from the regulatory authorities in the USA before it can enter clinical studies.
Kaposi’s sarcoma is a cancer which is frequently associated with AIDS. It is apparent as raised purple/red patches on the skin and can also affect internal organs.
A nucleoside antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Glaxo Wellcome. Also known as 3TC.
A chronic disease caused by a bacterium, which is contagious. Symptoms include widely distributed lumps on the skin, thickening of the skin and nerves, and sometimes numbness of the skin, muscle weakness and paralysis.
A woman whose sexual orientation is towards women.
A decrease in the number of a certain type of white blood cell (leucocyte).
A group of fat-like substances that are found in the body and which form an important part of the human diet.
Drugs which have been encapsulated inside an artificial, multi-layered membrane. When these drugs are injected into the blood the membrane is gradually broken down and the active agent is released in a controlled way.
A transparent straw-coloured liquid containing white blood cells which carries waste matter from body tissues to the veins.
Specialized structures forming part of the immune system that produce antibodies to fight off infection.
The enlargement of lymph nodes.
The lymphatic vessels and lymphoid tissue that transport lymph from body tissues to the blood stream.
A type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system. There are two classes of lymphocytes, T and B. T lymphocytes are involved directly in fighting infections and cancers and B lymphocytes make antibodies. The number of T cells declines as a result of HIV infection.
A latticework of tissue in the lymphatic system, which plays a vital role in the body’s defence against infection.
Soluble substances released by lymphocytes when they are stimulated by an antigen.
Malignant, life-threatening cancers that originate from lymphoid tissue.
Large blood cells which act as scavengers, ingesting and destroying cells/particles. They may act as a reservoir for HIV.
A feeling of general discomfort and illness.
Describes tumours which are in an active state, invading and destroying the tissue around them and capable of spreading through the body via the blood stream and lymphatic system.
A US government insurance programme designed to provide medical services to the poor.
A US government insurance programme designed to provide medical and hospital care for elderly or disabled persons.
Medicines Control Agency (MCA) The organization in the UK that approves the use of new drugs, vaccines and treatments. It also monitors the use of products once they are on the market.
Inflammation of the tissue membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord (meninges). Symptoms include intense headache, loss of appetite, rigidity of muscles (especially in the neck) and, in severe cases, convulsions, vomiting and delirium leading to death.
Very small cells in the central nervous system that destroy waste products of the nervous system.
A type of white blood cell which works to assist the immune system in clearing up bacteria and tissue debris by ingesting them and breaking them down.
Treatment that involves the use of only one drug.
The state of being diseased.
Death as a statistic for a given population.
HIV transmission from an infected mother to her child, either through her blood during pregnancy or birth, or through her breast milk during breast-feeding after birth.
A group of carbohydrates which when combined with water form the chief constituent of mucus.
Moist tissues that line internal passages in the body such as nose, mouth, genitals and throat.
A type of organism similar to a bacterium. A species of Mycoplasma has been found in people with AIDS. Some researchers think it may be a co-factor that needs to be present for HIV infection to progress to AIDS.
Founded in 1987, this organization has created a memorial to the people who have died of AIDS in the form of a quilt, comprising of individual quilts made by the relatives/friends of someone who died of AIDS. The quilt is used to raise funds and AIDS awareness.
A leading source of information about HIV and AIDS in the UK. NAM produce a series of directories and updates on issues and subjects relating to HIV.
A UK organization which seeks to promote and co-ordinate voluntary sector responses to HIV/AIDS.
Cells in the immune system that kill infected cells. The term natural is used because they attack without first having to recognize specific antigens.
An instrument for applying a liquid in the form of a fine spray. Often used for respiratory drugs.
Accidental puncture of the skin with a hypodermic needle.
A protease inhibitor antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Agouron Pharmaceuticals.
A breakdown product of some cells in the immune system. Levels of neopterin increase with advancing HIV disease, indicating progressive destruction of the immune system.
A disease of nerves causing a painful tingling sensation.
Antibodies that are able to prevent infection.
An abnormally low number of neutrophils in the blood.
A type of white blood cell with an irregular nucleus that engulfs and destroys bacteria.
A non-nucleoside antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Roxane Laboratories/Boehringer Ingelheim.
The designation given to a new drug when application to market is sought.
Non-governmental organization.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the USA.
The National Institutes of Health in the USA.
Compounds which ‘mimic’ nucleosides — the building blocks of DNA and RNA. Retrovir (zidovudine, AZT) is an example of a nucleoside analogue.
A compound consisting of deoxyribose or ribose sugar and a base (adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine or uracil). Nucleosides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.
A nucleoside to which a phosphate group is attached. Nucleotides linked together form strands of DNA and RNA.
The part of a cell which contains the genetic material.
A clinical trial in which doctors and participants know which drug or vaccine is being administered.
Opportunistic infections (OIs) Infections that occur because the immune system is weak/destroyed and cannot fight the infections off.
An HIV protein that lines the inside of the virus particle.
A protein in the core of HIV. The presence of antibodies to p24 is used as a marker for disease progression.
Inflammation of the pancreas, a potentially fatal condition.
An epidemic that occurs over a wide area such as a continent.
A system in the USA whereby promising new drugs can be distributed outside controlled clinical studies. Data are collected from patients receiving the compound in this way and added into the database of information on it.
A living thing which lives in or on another organism (host). The parasite obtains food and/or shelter from the host but contributes nothing back.
Any agent that has the potential to cause disease.
The origin and development of a disease.
An acute or chronic condition in women in which the uterus (womb), fallopian tubes and ovaries are infected. Results from transfer of an infection from an adjacent infected organ or the blood.
Paediatric European Network for Treatment of AIDS.
Relating to the time of birth.
A period extending approximately from the 28th week of gestation to the 28th day after birth.
Disturbance of nerve sensations, causing pain, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.
Persistent Generalized Lymphadenopathy (PGL) Often the first sign of infection with HIV, PGL is characterized by swollen lymph nodes in the neck, groin or armpits.
A term used in preference to the negative term ‘AIDS victim’ or the passive term ‘AIDS patient’.
The way a drug acts within the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.
The pharynx is a muscular tube that acts as a passageway for food from the mouth to the oesophagus, and as an air passage from the nasal cavity and mouth to the larynx.
The category of clinical study designed to provide data about the safety and likely effective dose of a new drug.
The category of clinical study designed to deliver data about efficacy and side effects of a new drug.
The category of clinical study designed to confirm the efficacy, side effect profile and dosage of a new drug. These are usually large-scale, randomized, controlled studies.
The category of clinical study conducted after the drug has been registered by the authorities and approved for marketing. These studies are usually large scale and long term, and extend the knowledge gained before approval of the drug.
An inactive substance with no treatment value. Designed to be indistinguishable from the drug being studied, it provides a way of comparing the effects of treatment versus no treatment in clinical studies.
An organ associated with pregnancy that attaches the foetus to the uterus (womb). The main function of the placenta is to allow nourishment to reach the embryo and waste products to be eliminated from it. The placenta is a direct link to the mother’s blood system.
The straw coloured liquid in which blood cells are suspended. Plasma contains various minerals and a high concentration of protein.
A disc-shaped cell structure that is present in the blood and helps in blood clotting when bleeding occurs.
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) The most common opportunistic infection of the respiratory tract in people with AIDS.
A key HIV gene. It codes for enzymes (including reverse transcriptase) which play an important role in HIV replication.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) A diagnostic test that allows direct detection of fragments of genetic material from, for example, HIV.
Slang for amyl or butyl nitrite inhalants that produce a temporary ‘high’ and cause blood vessels to dilate.
A synthetic corticosteroid (a steroid normally produced by a gland surrounding the kidney – the adrenal cortex) usually used to treat inflammatory or allergic conditions such as asthma.
The number of people in a defined population with a disease (existing or newly diagnosed) at a specific point in time.
The term used to describe the forecast/prediction as to the outcome of a disease.
Treatment given to prevent diseases from occurring.
An important enzyme necessary for the formation of new HIV particles. It chops large viral protein chains into smaller, active units.
Anti-HIV agents which inhibit the action of the proteinase/protease enzyme.
The detailed plan of a clinical study.
Tiny, simple parasitic organisms consisting of a single cell.
A protein molecule on the cell surface or within the cell that binds to a specific factor, such as a hormone, antigen, or neurotransmitter.
The process by which a virus reproduces its genetic material.
Used to describe the ability of an organism to resist attack by a particular drug or group of drugs.
A virus whose genetic code is made from RNA. HIV is a retrovirus.
The enzyme used by HIV to convert viral RNA into DNA in order that HIV can integrate into the host cell’s genetic machinery.
A complex chemical found in the nucleus of living cells. It takes information from DNA and translates it into proteins and enzymes. It also forms the genetic code of some organisms, including retroviruses such as HIV.
A protease inhibitor, antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories.
A place in the body that acts as a reservoir for HIV, where it escapes treatment.
A protease inhibitor, antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Hoffman-La Roche.
When a person has monogamous relationships, one after another.
The point at which the immune system begins to produce antibodies to an antigen. With HIV infection, seroconversion usually occurs 2 to 12 weeks after infection, although in some people it takes longer.
Referring to serology, the study of serum and antibodies contained in it.
Negative result to a serological test, for example, an HIV antibody test.
When someone has given a positive reaction to a serological test.
This refers to the number of people who are known, by testing blood samples, to be, for example, HIV antibody-positive, at any given time.
The yellowish watery liquid that separates from blood when it clots. This is the portion of the blood that contains antibodies.
Passed from person to person during intimate (sexual) contact.
The outer layer of a virus (some viruses, including HIV, also have another layer outside the shell called the envelope).
Unintended effects of a drug or treatment.
Usually used in relation to increasing the use of condoms, this term refers to the promotion and marketing of condoms to the general population.
A nucleoside, antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb.
Sexually transmitted disease.
A general name for a complex group of compounds that are all based around a similar structure. Some hormones are steroid derivatives and can be produced synthetically for therapeutic purposes (e.g. cortisone).
An antigen that interacts with the T cell receptor in a region outside of the usual antigen recognition site. This type of interaction induces the activation of larger numbers of T cells compared to antigens that are presented in the antigen recognition site.
Measurements, from laboratory tests, which are used as indicators of a person’s health or the effect of a treatment or drug.
Used to describe the condition of a person who has HIV infection and has developed symptoms (illnesses) attributable to the virus.
Large cells with many nuclei formed by infected and uninfected cells fusing together. It is thought that HIV contributes to this activity.
A collection of diseases/symptoms which, when taken together, indicate that a particular disease is present.
A chronic, sexually transmitted disease (can also be passed to a child during pregnancy). Symptoms are divided into three stages 1. Hare ulcer form (2–3 weeks after infection); 2. Fever, malaise, enlarged lymph nodes, faint rash on chest (about 2 months after infection; 3. Damage to heart and blood vessels or brain and spinal cord, causing blindness and paralysis (months or years after infection).
The term used to describe, for example, an illness that affects the whole body, rather than individual parts.
An immune system cell. There are three types: helper T cells, killer T cells and suppressor T cells.
Also called T4 helper cells or CD4 cells. These are T cells with a CD4 molecule on their surface. (They are largely helper T cells; suppressor T cells have a CD8 receptor.) T4 cells play a central role in orchestrating the activity of the immune system. HIV invades T4 cells. The gp120 protein of HIV binds to receptor sites (CD4 molecules) on the cell surface.
Treatment Action Group. US community-based treatment activist group.
Regulates the transcription of viral DNA into RNA.
A compound that inhibits the TAT gene and prevents the replication of HIV.
The ratio between concentration of a drug required for the desired effect and that leading to unwanted side effects. A high therapeutic index is desirable since this minimizes the likelihood of side effects.
When a person has an abnormally low number of platelets (cells that encourage blood clotting) in the blood.
A common yeast infection of moist areas of the body, usually caused by Candida albicans. Thrush (candidosis) commonly occurs in immunocompromised people such as people with HIV/AIDS.
One of the five nucleosides.
An essential organ of the immune system which acts as a reservoir for T-lymphocytes until they are activated by an antigen.
A disease caused by a protozoan, transmitted via undercooked meat, contaminated soil, or by direct contact (especially with infected cats). Generally symptoms are mild (swollen lymph nodes and flu-like symptoms). However, in patients who are immunocompromized such as people with HIV, the infection of the lymph nodes can be severe.
Capable of being passed from one individual to another.
A protein produced by the body which is a central mediator of immune and inflammatory responses and helps to defend the body against infections and cancers.
A break in the skin or membrane that fails to heal and is often accompanied by inflammation.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.
United Nations Development Programme.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
United Nations Population Fund.
United Nations Children’s Fund.
A carrier that transfers either an infective agent or genetic material from one host to another by providing a mode of transport for that material. A vector can be used to stimulate an immune response to a foreign protein (a protein which comes from a source other than itself) which the vector (e.g. Vaccinia virus) can carry on its surface.
When an infection, e.g. HIV, is passed from mother to child.
The presence of a virus in the blood stream.
A quantitative measure of the actively replicating HIV present in the blood. Viral load is considered the best predictor of disease progression and is used increasingly to measure the effects of antiretroviral therapies.
One of the smallest infectious agents and is incapable of surviving outside of a living host cell.
The term used for a single virus unit.
The World Health Organization, based in Geneva.
A nucleoside analogue, reverse transcriptase inhibitor (brand name Hivid) manufactured by Hoffmann-La Roche.
A nucleoside antiretroviral agent manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Glaxo Wellcome. |