HIV Terms
abstract: a research summary, generally about a paragraph long, provided by the researchers
active: refers to the effectiveness of drug therapy. For example, “His medications remain active [effective] against his HIV.”
administration: giving pills or dosing; for example, “Combination drugs allow for administration of fewer pills.”
agent: drug
ACTG: see “AIDS Clinical Trials Group”
ACT UP: AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, an activist group formed in 1987. Note: Not hyphenated.
acute HIV infection: recent infection (within the previous six months)
acute retroviral syndrome: symptoms that may be experienced during acute HIV infection, such as fever (including night sweats), diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and headache. Estimated to occur in 40 to 90% of recently infected people. Often mistaken for other illnesses, such as the flu.
adherence: taking medications as they should be taken (with or without food, on time, etc.). Extremely important due to the way that HIV medications work.
adiposity: refers to fat. Comes from the adipose tissue filled with fat cells that lies under the skin. “Adipocytes” is the word for fat cells.
adverse event: a negative drug side effect. A serious AE is one that is rated Grade 3–4, with 3 being “severe” and 4 being “life-threatening.”
AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Advanced disease of HIV infection (although people can be very healthy after reaching this stage).
AIDS Clinical Trials Group: the largest and most prestigious network of HIV-related studies in the U.S. “ACTG” for short. There is a pediatric ACTG as well as one for adults.
antibody: a protein that the immune system forms to fight germs and other unwanted elements entering the body. Hence, the immune system forms HIV antibodies when the virus enters the body.
antiretroviral: an HIV drug (“anti-retroviral” means a drug that treats a retrovirus, like HIV). “ARV” for short.
arm: in research studies, one of the groups being studied. For example, “Participants in one arm were given once-daily doses of the drug while those in the second arm received twice-daily doses.”
ART: see “HAART”
ARV: see “antiretroviral”
assay: a test
assessment: evaluation
ASO: short for “AIDS service organization”
atypical: not typical, not what you would expect
backbone: refers to the drugs someone is taking along with the medication considered to be the “star” of their treatment combination. For example, “He takes a backbone of two NRTIs with Sustiva.”
bactrim: an antibiotic pill used to prevent a pneumonia (PCP) seen in people with AIDS
bioavailability: rate and extent to which a substance is absorbed and circulated in the body
bioequivalent: two drugs having the same effect
blind, double-blind: when study participants don’t know what they’re receiving. “Double-blind” means that neither the researcher nor the participant know what the participant is being given. The information is provided later when the study is unblinded. Participants do, however, know exactly what they may be receiving.
blip: refers to a temporary increase in viral load (usually within 50 to 400) that then goes back down
boosted protease inhibitor: a protease inhibitor whose blood levels are increased with a small booster dose of the HIV drug Norvir (ritonavir), the only medication currently used for this purpose
CA-MRSA: see “MRSA”
CCR5 co-receptor: one of two co-receptors on the surface of T-cells that HIV uses to enter the cell CCR5 inhibitor, CCR5 antagonist: a drug that blocks HIV’s use of the CCR5 co-receptor
CD4+ T-cell: a T-cell with a CD4 receptor on it. HIV’s favorite source for infection and spreading through the body. Often referred to simply as “T-cells.”
CD4 percentage: the percent of lymphocytes (white blood cells) that are CD4 cells. This measurement is less likely to vary in between blood tests than CD4 count, but CD4 count remains a more reliable measure of immune function than CD4 percentage for most people.
clinical progression: an HIV-related event, generally refers to disease or death
central nervous system: made up of the brain and spinal cord, as well as their coverings (such as the meninges [find another word])
cervix: the narrow passage between the uterus and the vagina
cervical dysplasia: abnormalities in the cells of the cervix, detected by a Pap smear. May be a predictor of cervical cancer.
cholesterol, hypercholesterimia: a fat-like waxy substance in the blood and the tissues. “Hyper” refers to elevated levels.
CMV: see “cytomegalovirus”
CNS: see “central nervous system”
clinical: refers to actual effects on a patient’s health. For example, “The clinical effects are still unknown.” Also refers to care that people receive in a clinic, such as lab tests.
cocktail: refers to a drug combination
cognitive: refers to the working of the mind
co-factor: substances, microorganisms, or characteristics of individuals that might influence the progression of a disease or the likelihood of becoming ill
colposcopy: examination of the cervix or vagina with a teensy-tiny instrument that has a magnifying lens
contraindication: refers to things that should not go together, such as medications that can not be taken at the same time. See “indication.”
control: in research study, something is tested against a “control.” For example, a placebo-controlled study compares an experimental treatment to a placebo. Note: Most HIV studies today compare experimental therapies to standard-of-care treatment already on the market.
co-morbidity: another illness; for example, “Most of her patients are HIV-positive with hepatitis co-morbidity.”
compassionate use: the availability of an experimental drug or treatment for people who are seriously ill
CROI: Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, the largest HIV medical conference in the country
cutoff: the highest or lowest level of a test or measurement
cytomegalovirus: a herpes virus considered an opportunistic infection. “CMV” for short. In AIDS, most commonly known for infecting the eyes, potentially leading to blindness, but can invade other organs.
D - G
Data Safety Monitoring Board: an independent group of medical providers and community representatives that oversees a research study. “DSMB” for short.
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): a chemical structure that contains genetic instructions for life
discordant couple: when one person has HIV and the other doesn’t. Also called “sero-discordant.”
discordant response: when T-cells rise but viral load does not drop, or vice-versa (viral load drops but T-cells do not rise), while on therapy
DNA: see “deoxyribonucleic acid”
double-blind: see “blind”
drug interaction: an effect that one drug has on another; an interaction could be positive or negative
DSMB: see Data Safety Monitoring Board
dysplasia: abnormal development in skin, bone, and other tissues. If left untreated, may lead to cancer.
etiology: the cause of a disease
expanded access program (EAP): drug made available before final FDA approval to persons in great need of it
false positive: when an HIV test mistakenly notes that someone is positive for the virus. A different confirmatory test is always required for all positive results.
FDA: short for U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which approves all medicines and medical devices on the market in this country
fold: a mathematical term that indicates multiplication. For example, two-fold means twice as much, three-fold means three times as much, etc.
genotype resistance test: looks at the genetic make-up of a person’s HIV to help determine what medications would work. See also “phenotype resistance test.”
HAART: see “highly active antiretroviral therapy”
hepatotoxicity: toxicity in the liver
highly active antiretroviral therapy: powerful HIV drug combination. “HAART” for short (pronounced “heart”). HIV medications are also referred to as ART (for anti-retroviral therapy).
H - L
HIV: human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is a retrovirus. Do not say or write “HIV virus.”
holistic: looking at spiritual, emotional, and mental aspects of an individual in addition to the physical (the “whole” person)
host: the person with a disease. For example, “A variety of host factors, such as the presence of other sexually transmitted infections, can influence the progression of HIV.”
HVTN: HIV Vaccine Trials Network
immune reconstitution syndrome: illness occurring when the immune system becomes stronger with therapy and begins to activate underlying pathogens in order to fight them
immunologic: refers to the immune system, such as “immunologic response,” “immunologic progression,” etc. In HIV therapy, “immunologic response” refers to CD4+ T-cells, while “virologic response” refers to viral load.
incidence: the rate of new cases of a particular disease in a population
indication: the condition that a drug treats. For example, “Hepsera B is indicated for the treatment of hepatitis B.”
in vitro: in the test tube
in vivo: in the body
late breaker: refers to medical reports accepted late at a conference
lipoatrophy: loss of fat. HIV medications have been associated with loss of fat in the arms, legs, and face (facial wasting). Cosmetic surgery has been found to alleviate the facial wasting.
lipodystrophy: a potential side effect of HIV therapy that may include increased blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides; loss of fat in the arms, legs, and face (see “lipoatrophy”); and increased fat in the stomach and upper back (buffalo hump)
M
malignancy: a cancerous growth
mean: average
median: the number at which half of the cases are below and half are above. For example, “The median rise in T-cell count was 275.”
morbidity: illness
MRSA: drug-resistant staph, stands for “methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.” “CA-MRSA” stands for “community-acquired MRSA.” Pronounced “mersa.”
MSM: stands for “men who have sex with men,” a category that includes males whether they consider themselves to be gay or not. Some MSM identify themselves as straight.
mutation: in HIV, refers to the virus changing itself in order to get around the effects of medications. (Might sound scary, but simply means “a change.”)
myalgia: muscle pain
N - O
naïve: see “treatment naïve”
neuropathy: any abnormal, degenerative, or inflammatory state of the peripheral nervous system; symptoms include numbness, tingling, or pain in the extremities
non-inferiority study: an FDA-required standard; tries to show that the experimental treatment is not less effective than standard-of-care
nurse practitioner: a nurse who can prescribe medicine
OBT: see “optimized background therapy”
off-label: refers to the use of a medication for which it is not approved, but for which there is evidence of effectiveness. Prescriptions can be written for off-label uses.
open-label: a drug study in which researchers and participants know what drugs or treatments, including experimental, are being given
opportunistic infection: caused by a microbe that can normally exist peacefully in a person’s body, but which can cause illness when the immune system is weak
optimized background therapy: usually used in clinical studies; refers to studies where a person’s current therapy is improved with available medications (“optimized”). A person may or may not receive the experimental drug being tested in the study (on top of their OBT).
PID: see “pelvic inflammatory disease”
pap smear: a test that collects cells from the cervix to check for cancer or precancerous changes. Named for Papanicolaou, a doctor who invented the test. Progress in training and standardization of anal Pap smears continues.
pathogen: a microorganism that can cause disease. Pathogens include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
pathogenesis: origin and development of disease. The prefix “patho” denotes “disease.”
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): inflammation of the pelvic area, which may lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or scarring of the fallopian tubes. Symptoms include fever, abnormal vaginal discharge, and, most commonly, pain in the lower abdomen. PID is usually caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections, such as Chlamydia or gonorrhea.
PEP: see “post-exposure prophylaxis”
perinatal transmission: see “vertical transmission”
peripheral: on the outer edges. In HIV, usually refers to peripheral neuropathy.
peripheral neuropathy: a disorder of the nerves, usually involving the hands, feet, arms, and legs. Symptoms may include numbness, a tingling or burning sensation, sharp pain, weakness, and abnormal reflexes. In severe cases, paralysis may result. A potential side effect of some HIV medications.
Phase 1, 2, 3, and 4: the four stages of a clinical study. “Pre-clinical” generally refers to test tube measurements or testing in animals.
phenotype resistance test: a test tube measurement that puts an HIV blood sample against each of the HIV drugs to see which ones are effective against that particular individual’s virus. See also “genotype resistance test.”
PrEP: see “pre-exposure prophylaxis”
placebo: a dummy pill used in studies. For example, “Some people in the trial received placebo while the rest were given the experimental drug.” Placebos are used to see if the experimental treatment makes a difference. See “control.”
PLWH/A: short for “people (or person) living with HIV/AIDS” (emphasizes “living” with the disease, not dying of it)
PO: means “take by mouth”
post-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medications taken after exposure to the virus in an attempt to avoid infection. “PEP” for short.
pre-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medications taken before exposure to the virus in an attempt to avoid infection. “PrEP” for short. Not yet a medical standard. PrEP is still being studied for efficacy, although results have been promising.
presumptive: used to describe treatment given with the assumption that a disease actually exists. For example, people with one medical condition known to frequently co-exist with another medical problem may be given treatment for both conditions. Note: If treatment could be risky, presumptive therapy would not be given.
prevalence: the number of people with a particular medical condition in a population at a point in time. See also “incidence.”
prophylaxis: something used as prevention. For example, condoms are a prophylaxis against disease.
protocol: a detailed plan of steps to take in certain situations. In medicine, refers to the plan for a study.
providers: health care workers, may refer to other services, such as those of social workers
PWA: short for “people (or person) with AIDS”
PWH/A: short for “people (or person) with HIV/AIDS’
R - S
randomized: in research study, the process of placing people into different categories in a way that avoids skewing the results. Generally means that people are evenly distributed, and that, for example, one group in the study does not consist entirely of people with advanced disease while another group is made up only of people with early disease.
rapid HIV testing: an HIV test that gives results in 20 minutes. A common one is an oral test with a cotton swab that uses a tissue sample from the mouth.
rebound: generally used to refer to a rising viral load, especially to the level it was when therapy was started
regimen: treatment combination
resistance: the ability of microbes to change their structure so that drugs can no longer affect them; to render drug therapy harmless to fight them
retrovirus: a virus that works “backwards,” differently from most viruses. Most viruses use their DNA to change a person’s RNA. A retrovirus uses its RNA to insert itself into a person’s DNA.
ribonucleic acid (RNA): a chemical structure that carries genetic instructions for life. HIV has its own RNA and latches on to someone’s DNA for replication.
RNA: see “ribonucleic acid”
salvage therapy: advanced therapy; the second or third, etc. round; for people with advanced disease
second generation: refers to a new drug that works differently from the older medications in its drug class. Usually refers to an improvement, commonly an improved resistance pattern (harder for HIV to develop resistance to).
sepsis: bacteria in the blood. Can lead to septic shock, a sudden drop in blood pressure, changes in heart rate, and temperature.
seropositive: in HIV, means positive for the virus
sero-discordant: generally refers to a couple where one person is HIV-positive and the other is not
serum: the clear, thin, and sticky fluid that separates from blood when it clots. Serum is the actual fluid used for measuring T-cells and viral load, not the whole blood sample itself.
sexually transmitted infection: exactly what it says. “STI” for short, although “STI” has also been used to described “structured treatment interruption” in HIV.
STI: see “sexually transmitted infection”
subcutaneous: means “below the skin.” For example, subcutaneous injections (as opposed to intravenous ones: “through the vein”) and subcutaneous fat.
suppressed: “suppressed virus” is one of the goals of HIV therapy, simply, keeping the virus down (suppressed), as low as possible; usually refers to undetectable levels
susceptibility: when HIV is susceptible to a medication; in other words, when HIV has not developed drug resistance to a medication and that medication can still effectively fight the HIV
T - Z
T-cell: An immune system cell that is made in, and released from, the thymus (hence the letter “T”). Also called T-helper cells. See also “CD4+ T-cell.”
treatment failure: generally refers to a detectable viral load, or a rising one, while on treatment
treatment-naïve: someone who has never taken HIV medicine. This group is expected to do best with medication, and their first therapy is considered their best shot at beating down the virus.
trial: in research studies, another word for “study”
tropism: the type of co-receptor (CCR5 or CXCR4) that HIV can use to enter a cell. A person’s HIV can be “CCR5-tropic,” “CXCR4-tropic,” “dual tropic” (the virus uses both co-receptors), or “mixed tropic” (the virus is partially CCR5-tropic and partially X4-tropic).
undetectable: a viral load below the limit of a test’s detection, generally either 50 or 400. Virus is still in the person’s blood, but not at a level that can be picked up by the test.
ULN: Upper limit of normal, from lab tests
ultrasensitive assay: in viral loads, a test that measures as low as 50 copies/mL viral load
vertical transmission: HIV infection passed on from a mother to infant during or around the time of pregnancy, or during breastfeeding
viral load: the quantity of virus measured in blood (serum), other fluid, or tissue
virologic: refers to blood. In HIV, “virologic” usually refers to viral load, such as “virologic response,” “virologic progression,” etc. “Immunologic response” refers to T-cells.
wild-type virus: virus that has not developed resistance. Often the type of virus with which a person is infected, although people can be infected with resistant virus. e
Sources include AIDSInfo at the National Institutes of Health and the Project Inform HIV Drug Book.
