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Glossary

Selected words and phrases

NRTI – Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, a type of HIV drug – also called ‘nuke’ or ‘nucleoside analogue’.

3TC (lamivudine). abacavir, AZT, FTC (emtricitabine), d4T (stavudine), ddI (didanosine) all belong to this class.

Tenofovir DF and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) are a nucleotide analogues which is similar enough to be counted as part of this class.

Drug targets in the virus life cycle.

peripheral neuropathy (PN) – damage to the nerves in your hands or feet. PN can be caused by HIV or some HIV drugs.

Peripheral neuropathy – more infomation.

anaemia – shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells

weight loss – a general reduction in weight. Weight loss can often be a symptom of other opportunistic infections.

Weight loss and wasting section of the training manual.

ascites – an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, a sign of serious liver damage in people with hepatitis C.