Glossary

A fungal (yeast) infection that affects the mouth and throat, gullet, sinuses, genital organs and – rarely – the brain. Also called ‘candida’.

spinal tap – See lumbar puncture.

icterus – medical term for jaundice (yellowing skin)

CD4% – percentage of total lymphocytes (white blood cells) that are CD4 cells.

The CD4% is generally more stable than the CD4 count. For example, if you ever get a CD4 count that is much lower than you expect, first see whether the CD4% has changed too,

If the CD4% is still roughly the same then the low CD4 count is unlikely to show a real change.

decimal fraction – a fraction turned into a number by dividing the top part by the bottom part. For example, the decimal fraction for 3/5 is 0.6.