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Glossary of HIV/AIDS
Terms
A
B C D E F
G H I J K L M N O P
Q R S T U V W
X Y Z
___ This glossary is provided for a better understanding of
HIV/AIDS terminology in current usage. Medical and scientific terminology are based on the
Surgeon General's Report of AIDS, publications of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the former Global AIDS Programme of the World Health Organization (now part of
U.N.AIDS), AIDS Treatment Data Network, and Harvard's Global Policy on AIDS Coalition. The
research literature was also consulted through the internet. This glossary is up to date;
some terms in this field have changed (e.g. ARC; GRID) and are no longer used. For
purposes of discussion in this report, the term AIDS is commonly used to include HIV
infection and disease and AIDS-related opportunistic infections and related-diseases.
HIV/AIDS is also used.
A
Abstinence-only: A strict morality-based philosophy that preaches
"no" to any sexual activity before marriage. Not having sexual intercourse is
the safest way to avoid the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS, although a majority of young
adults and teens do not believe abstinence-only is a realistic option. However, the
reality of HIV/AIDS is simple: avoid the exchange of bodily fluids and blood especially.
Abstinence-based: A slightly more open curriculum that stresses
abstinence as the safest way to avoid HIV but allows for some discussion of sex and the
ethics of sexual activity.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS): A progressive weakening of the
immune system accompanied by one or more indicator diseases (opportunistic infections) --
including Kaposi's sarcoma, invasive cervical cancer, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and
wasting syndrome. In AIDS, common immune system deterioration is marked by a depletion of
T-helper (T 4/CD4) cells, which help stimulate antibody production. AIDS is commonly
thought to be caused by a retrovirus, HIV.
AIDS: is now a commonly-used term for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
and also for HIV/AIDS; WHO uses the term to "denote the entire health problem
associate with HIV infection."
American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR): was co-founded in 1985 by
Dr. Mathilde Krim and by Dr. Michael Gottlieb. It remains an influential advocate for
HIV/AIDS research and programs.
Anal sex: Sexual intercourse when the penis is inserted in the anus.
Often used as a birth control measure by young adults.
Antibiotic: A substance that kills or inhibits the growth of organisms.
Once considered a magic bullet, antibiotics are now commonly used to combat disease and
infection. Indications are growing that many human viruses and bacteria are becoming
resistant to current antibiotics.
Antibody: Members of a class of proteins known as immunoglobins.
Antibodies may tag, destroy and neutralize bacteria, viruses or other harmful toxins.
Antibodies attack infected cells, making them vulnerable to attack by other elements of
the immune system.
Antigen: A foreign protein that causes an immune response (the production
of antibodies to fight antigens). Common examples of antigens are the bacteria and viruses
that cause human disease. The antibody is formed in response to a particular antigen
unique to that antigen, reacting with no other.
Antiretroviral: A substance that stops or suppresses the activity of a
retrovirus such as HIV. AZT was the first widely used antiretroviral drug and now more
combinations are reaching the market. Antiretrovirals are not a cure but do help manage
AIDS as a chronic disease and perhaps helps strengthen a PWA's health.
Asymptomatic: When there is no visible or noticeable changes in the body;
i.e., an HIV-positive person does not show any signs of "AIDS symptoms." Thus,
asymptomatic carriers are a threat to their unsuspecting sexual partners.
At risk: Individual behavior that identifies a person who is engaging in
behaviors that are likely to transmit HIV, the AIDS virus. "Groups" per se are
not at risk -- rather the commonly-practiced behaviors of their individual members make
them more susceptible to be infected.
Autoimmune disease: A disease which arises from and is directed against
an individual's own tissue (a problem with transplants).
AZT: AZT, Retrovir and Zidovudine are the common names for the chemical
3'-azidothymidine. It was the first drug on the market for AIDS. It was thought that AZT
might be the cure for AIDS-related diseases but the hopes were dashed at the 1993
International AIDS Conference in Berlin. AZT is neither as good as its manufacturer
claims, nor is it as bad as AIDS activists have alleged. In combination with other drugs
(see "cocktail"), it can be helpful in slowing the progress of HIV/AIDS. It
definitely helps to cut down on the transmission of perinatal AIDS.
B
B cells (B lymphocytes): One of the immune system's cell types; B cells
fight infection primarily by making antibodies. During the time of infection, these cells
are transformed into factories that make thousands of antibodies against the foreign
antigen.
Behavior intervention/modification programs: Education programs designed
to change a specific behavior. Behavior modification generally does this by targeting a
very specific, observable behavior and then reinforce a series of small changes in
behavior until the desired behavior is established.
Bisexual: Having sex with both men and women. Many teens experiment with
members of the same sex out of curiosity.
C
CD4 (T4): The protein imbedded on the surface of T-helper cells to which
HIV attaches itself and through which it first enters the cells.
CD8 (T8): A protein embedded in the cell surface of T-suppresser cells.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Best known as the CDC,
this preeminent federal public health agency is a branch of the Public Health Service that
is directly involved with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Celibate: Choosing to abstain from any sexual activity. It is often
presented as holy scripture for many religious orders, and less often for unmarried
people; a prevention techniques for HIV/AIDS.
Chronic: Continuous or ongoing -- As PWAs live longer, HIV/AIDS is
becoming a chronic disease.
Clades: "Families of a viral strain." Presently there are seven
known clades of HIV but more are expected to be found.
Clinical trial: A test to see how well a new drug works on people (under
tight government and clinical supervision.)
Combination therapy: The use of two or more drugs as treatment. Also, the
use of two or more types of treatment in combination, alternatively or together.
Commercial sex workers (CSWs): Common medical/epidemiological term for
people (usually females, but also males) who engage in prostitution (sex for money) as
employment.
Comprehensive sex ed health: Offers full and complete information on the
sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS; nothing is deleted.
Condom: A prophylactic barrier a man wears on his penis for sexual
intercourse. While not 100 percent effective, its use is recommended by most AIDS
prevention professionals as an aid to prevent HIV transmission.
Cytokines: Proteins produced by white blood cells that act as chemical
messengers between cells to mediate immune response. CD8 (T-suppresser) cells release a
cytokine that appears to block HIV replication in infected cells, at least until the
advanced stage of HIV disease.
Cytotoxic: Term used to describe something which damages or kills cells.
Also used as the name of a type of T cell.
D
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid): A double strand of nucleotides (chemical
building blocks) that contain genetic information.
E
Elisa (also ELISA): One of the first blood assay tests developed (by
Abbott Labs in 1984) to test for HIV antibodies in the blood.
Epidemic: A contagious disease that spreads rapidly among many
individuals in an area such as a province or country (see pandemic).
Experimental drug: A drug that has not been approved for use as a
treatment but is being tested.
F
Female condom: A new prophylactic (latex and plastic) barrier that women
put inside the vagina before sexual intercourse.
G
Gamma globulin (IgG): The portion of the plasma that contains antibodies.
Gay: Term commonly used to describe men who have sex with men exclusively
(see homosexual, also lesbian).
Gp120: A piece of HIV that can cause damage to the immune system and
other parts of the body. Gp120 is the foundation for several new vaccines.
H
Helper-suppresser ratio: The ratio of T-helper cells to T-suppresser
cells. In people with HIV this ratio becomes increasingly inverted over time as T-helper
cells become less.
Helper cells (T4, CD4): See T-helper cells.
Hemophilia: An inherited disease that prevents the normal clotting of
blood. Many of the first wave of HIV/AIDS infected people were hemophiliacs who received
contaminated blood supplies.
Hepatitis B (HBV): A viral liver disease that can be acute, chronic, and
even life-threatening, particularly in people with poor immune resistance.
Heterosexual: Men who have sex with women; women who have sex with men
(also referred to as "straight").
High risk behavior: Behaviors that are the most likely to lead to
infection: unprotected sex (anal, vaginal, sometimes oral); using contaminated
needles/sharing syringes; coming in ultimate contact with bodily fluids (blood, semen,
vaginal fluids, and perhaps, although not usually, saliva).
HIV disease: A term used to describe a variety of symptoms and signs
found in people who are HIV positive. These may include recurrent fevers, unexplained
weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, or fungus infection of the mouth and throat. Also
described as symptomatic HIV infection (previously known as ARC). Most commonly used to
describe AIDS.
HIV-negative: When test results show there are no HIV antibodies in the
blood (i.e., no HIV infection).
HIV-positive: When test results show there are HIV antibodies in the
blood (i.e., HIV infected); the stage before AIDS-related diseases. Also referred to as
being sero-positive.
Homosexual: Men who have sex with men (gay); women who have sex with
women (lesbian).
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): The retrovirus thought to cause AIDS.
Many different strains of HIV have been isolated. Name and acronym selected by respected
group of international scientists in 1986 to describe HTLV-III; LAV; and ARV.
I
Immunity: A natural or acquired resistance to a specific disease.
Immunity may be partial or complete, long lasting or temporary.
Incidence: The extent or frequency with which new HIV infections and AIDS
cases occur, in a defined population, within a specified period of time.
Incubation period: Term used similar to "latency period;" when
an organism is in the body but not symptomatic.
Inhibitor: A drug, chemical or substance that inhibits or blocks
something from happening. Protease Inhibitors are a new drug that is expected to help
inhibit the progression of HIV.
Injecting Drug Users (IDUs): Current term now favored as substitute for
"intravenous" drug users (IV drug); includes individuals who inject into the
muscle or just below the skin, as well as injecting into the veins and arteries.
Intercourse: Sexual activity that includes penetration by the penis of
the vagina and anus (also "coitus" and "fuck").
Interferon: A substance that is produced when the body detects infection
with a virus. Interferon is released to coat uninfected cells to protect them.
Interleukin: A group of cytokines that help immune system cells
communicate and modulates immune response.
Intravenous (IV): Intravenous drugs are injected directly into the veins
and arteries ("injecting" drug user is now favored in place of
"i.v.").
K
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS): Blood vessels which grow rapidly and cause pink to
purple painless spots on the skin. KS can also grow in other places such as the lungs. It
can be accompanied by fever, enlarged lymph nodes and stomach problems.
Knowledge, Attitude, Belief and Practice Survey (KABP): Standard for
questionnaire surveys; used extensively as a prime HIV/AIDS educational research
methodology.
L
Latency: The period when an organism in the body is inactive and/or not
producing any ill effects. HIV is never really latent, although an infected person may not
have symptoms or feel bad.
Latex condom: Most condoms are made out of latex material (safer than
natural lambskin prophylactics), although rubber quality varies greatly. Some are very
good atinhibiting HIV transmission (nearly 100 percent effective) while others, usually
ultra-thin or novelty brands are only 50 to 75 percent effective.
Lesbian: Term commonly used to describe women who have sex with women.
Lymph Glands: Small immune system centers that are located all over the
body. Lymph glands protect the bloodstream from infection by filtering out infection
particles.
M
Macrophage: A large immune system cell that roams through the blood
looking for foreign matter. These cells also alert the rest of the immune system that help
is needed.
Maintenance therapy: Use of a treatment after the disease(s) has been
brought under control. For example, unless maintenance therapy is used against PCP, the
disease will probably occur again.
Men having Sex with Men (MSM): A term used originally by the CDC for
describing gay and bisexual men.
Monogamous: Choosing to have one sexual partner for a period of time, as
in marriage or a steady relationship (promoted as a sexually safer way of living in the
1990s).
Morality-Based: Term commonly used to describe religious-based tenets.
(There is disagreement with the term "morality" as people who favor safer sex
techniques believe that their point of view is also morality-based. i.e., saving lives.)
N
Nonoxynol 9: An effective spermicide coating with condoms that can kill
many STDs and HIV.
O
Opportunistic Infection (OI): Infections that are caused by agents that
are frequently present in the body or environment, and can cause an infection in an
immune-compromised person by an organism that does not usually cause disease in healthy
people. When an individual's immune system becomes weak, these organisms may cause serious
or even life-threatening illnesses.
Oral sex: Refers to sex using the mouth and genitalia (also
"fellatio," "blow job," "sucking," also
"cunnilingus.")
Outercourse: New "safer sex" term refers to foreplay
("petting") and mutual masturbation between partners, as contrasted with sexual
intercourse.
P
Pandemic: Contagious disease prevalent over a wide geographical area (the
global AIDS incidence is a pandemic).
Pathogen: A substance or organism capable of causing disease.
Pathogenesis: The origin and development of a disease.
PeerCorps®: Dr. Chittick's favored prevention technique utilizing
trained AIDS educators doing outreach with peers.
Perinatal Transmission: Refers to HIV transmission from the mother to the
baby during birth (estimated to occur in one-third of cases, unless AZT is used).
Person with AIDS (PWA) or people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA): PWA is the
term commonly used to anyone living with HIV/AIDS.
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP): A lung infection that causes the
greatest number of deaths in people who are HIV positive. It is both treatable and
preventable.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR): A very sensitive test for the presence
of HIV.
Prevalence: Commonly occurring infection of HIV or cases of AIDS in a
population; generally refers to all cases existing with an infection/disease (i.e.,
HIV/AIDS) at a specified period of time.
Promiscuous: Engaging in sexual intercourse with more than one partner
(this dictionary definition, including the use of "indiscriminately," is not
pejorative here, but refers to multiple-sex partners over a relatively short period of
time).
Prophylactic: A preventive medicine, device or measure; often referring
to condoms or a dental dam.
Protease/ Protease Inhibitors: A substance in the blood that breaks down
proteins. Drugs that inhibit protease may stop HIV from breaking down the proteins it
needs to grow. Protease inhibitor trials involving PWAs are showing promise and the first
drugs are being introduced.
p24 antigen: A protein fragment of HIV. The p24 antigen test measures
this fragment. A positive result from p24 antigen suggests that HIV is multiplying,
although there is debate about this.
R
Reality-Based: Term commonly used to describe explicit and detailed
"sex ed" curriculum with safer sex HIV/AIDS components (often used as the
opposite of abstinence-only).
Resistance: The ability of a disease to overcome a drug. For example,
after long-term use of AZT, HIV can develop strains of virus in the body that are no
longer suppressed by this particular drug, and therefore are said to be resistant to AZT.
Retrovirus: A strand of RNA (ribonucleic acid) surrounded by a protein
shell. Retroviruses capable of infecting and causing disease in humans are relatively rare
(and were only discovered in 1978). HIV is a retrovirus.
Reverse transcriptase: An enzyme that is crucial for HIV to grow and
multiply.
RNA (Ribonucleic acid): A strand of nucleotides (chemical building
blocks) that transmit genetic information. RNA performs the same functioning in
retroviruses that DNA does in viruses.
S
Secondary Virgins: Young people who have had sex once or twice but then
choose to be sexually abstinent, often after learning about HIV/AIDS in sex ed classes.
Sero Dia Agglumination Tests: One of the early HIV tests to measure HIV
antibodies in the blood.
Seroconversion: After the initial introduction of HIV infection, when HIV
antibodies can be detected in the blood.
Seropositive: Refers to blood that shows traces of HIV antibodies (i.e.,
HIV-infected persons, but without symptoms.
Seroprevalence: The number of a population or group (identified by their
behaviors) who are infected with HIV.
Sex Ed (Sexual Education): Education that deals with detailed sexual
education for teenagers (also referred to as comprehensive health education).
Sexually transmitted disease (STDs): These diseases include herpes,
syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV/AIDS, and others. STDs make HIV easier to spread from
one person to another. Currently, the term sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is also
being used to refer to STDs.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): A term now becoming more used
among medical professionals.
SIDA: French (and Spanish) acronym for Syndrome Immuno-Déficitaire
Acquis.
Spermicide: Used with some condoms (Nonoxynol 9 is a common spermicide)
and birth control creams to kill STDs, HIV and sperm.
Surrogate markers: T4 cells are used as a surrogate marker in people who
are HIV-positive. The T4 cell count itself is not really a direct measure of HIV, but a
declining count is a sign that disease is progressing. The T4 cell count is then said to
be a surrogate marker for HIV. Different surrogate markers are being studied to see how
well they measure the progress of HIV.
Symptom: A change in the body's appearance or functioning (including
mental and psychological changes) that indicates the presence of a disease or illness.
Symptomatic: A change in normal bodily function; i.e., HIV-positive
person shows symptomatic signs of AIDS.
Systemic: Affecting the whole body.
T
T4 cells: See T-helper cell.
T-helper cell (T4/CD4 cell): A type of white blood cell that activates
T-killer cells and helps stimulate antibody production. Physicians regularly measure
T-helper cell counts (CD4 counts) in HIV-positive people to monitor immune system
function. The normal range for T-helper cells is 480-1800, but may vary in individuals.
HIV first enters cells by attaching itself to the CD4 receptor on the surface of T-helper
cells.
T-killer cell (cytoxic T cells): A type of white blood cell that kills
foreign organisms when activated by T-helper cells.
T-suppresser cell: A type of white blood cell that helps control the
body's response to an infection.
Thymus: The organ of the body that trains T cells to be part of the
immune system.
Toxic reaction: A poisonous or unwanted reaction to a vitamin, drug or
other substance. A toxic reaction occurs when a helpful medicine also causes damage to the
blood or body. Toxicity is a measurement of how much damage may be caused.
Transfusion: The process of giving blood, or parts of blood from one
person to another. Some people choose to have their own blood drawn and stored, to be
transfused back into them at a later time.
Transmission: The passing of HIV through blood, semen, vaginal secretions
or breast milk from an infected individual to another person. These four are the only body
fluids known to transmit HIV (although a small amount of HIV might be in saliva, it is not
thought to transmit HIV).
Tuberculosis (TB): An infection caused by "Mycobacterium"
tuberculosis. It is reported to be rising in urban areas and TB is increasingly common
among PWAs.
U
United Nations AIDS (U.N.AIDS): Created in 1995 to coordinate all of the
different UN providers of AIDS services, U.N.AIDS began operations in 1996 under its first
director, Peter Piot.
Universal Precautions: Refers to safety measures (i.e., sterilization,
latex gloves) used by personnel in hospitals and clinics to ensure that infectious agents
are not passed by unclean or contaminated equipment or accidents.
V
Vaccine: A suspension of an infectious agent (e.g., virus) or part of
that agent. The suspension is administered (usually by injection) in order to confer
resistance or immunity to that infectious agent. Other kinds of vaccines, therapeutic
vaccines, are in development and being studied. Therapeutic vaccines may help fight HIV
even after infection.
Viral Load: The amount of HIV in the blood; branch DNA is a new testing
measure that determines the progression of AIDS (compared to the CD-4 count that measures
the number of T -helper cells in the blood).
Viremia: The presence of a virus in the blood stream.
Virucides: A physical or chemical agent that destroys or inactivates
viruses (researchers are looking for one especially for women to avoid STDs/HIV.)
Virus: A strand of DNA surrounded by a protein shell. Viruses are the
smallest known infectious organisms and are unable to live or multiply outside of a host
cell. Viruses can cause infectious disease (e.g., small pox, polio, influenza, herpes).
Infection with some viruses, such as CMV, may not produce symptoms in people with an
intact immune system, but may prove dangerous or life-threatening for people with
HIV/AIDS.
W
Wasting syndrome: A condition characterized by involuntary weight loss of
more than 10% of baseline body weight plus either chronic diarrhea or chronic weakness and
fever for more than 30 days, when these conditions cannot be explained by any illness
other than HIV infection.
Wave: A metaphor used by researchers to explain the different stages of
HIV infection and cases of AIDS in the population.
Western blot: One of the major confirmatory tests for HIV antibodies in
the blood (see Elisa).
White blood cells (WBCs): White cells protect the body against foreign
substances such as disease-producing micro-organisms. They are the heart of the immune
system.
Window period: Refers to the time between infection with HIV and when its
antibodies can be detected in the blood (as short as six weeks but usually longer, up to
six months for test purposes).
Z
Zidovudine (ZDV): A drug shown to be effective in reducing the number of
babies born with perinatal HIV.
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