Glossary

superinfection – another term for reinfection.

ARV – a drug that works against a retrovirus, eg treatment for HIV. See: antiretroviral.

lipid – medical term for fat. The term ‘blood lipids’ refers to cholesterol and triglyceride levels in blood.

IM (intra-muscular) – injecting into a muscle. See IV (intravenous) and SC (sub-cutaneous).

seroconversion – the immune reaction when you develop antibodies to a new infection. HIV seroconversion usually starts a couple of week after infection. Because this is when viral load is very high (often millions of copies/mL), this is when symptoms occur.

About 70% people have HIV seroconversion symptoms. Some people become very ill and need immediate ART, and other have no symptoms.