Glossary

DOT (directly observed therapy) – where a nurse or other healthcare worker observes or supervises someone take medicine.

X-ray – an abbreviation for x-radiation. An X-ray lung scan is a common way to look for evidence of TB infection. X-rays can also diagnose bone fractures.

platelet – a blood cell that helps with blood clotting.

empirical treatment – treating an illness based on its symptoms to see if it gets better.

mutation – a change in the genetic structure of an organism (including a virus like HIV). See resistance.

Changing treatment and drug resistance.