Glossary

LTNP / LTSP – See: long-term non-progressor.

half-life (T1/2) – the time taken a drug to clear from the highest concentration to half this level. Drugs have different half-lives in different compartments (ie half-life in blood can be different from the half-life inside a cell). It take 5 x the half-live for a drug to be considered cleared.

latent – not active at present, resting. Latently infected CD4 cells are CD4 cells that are infected with HIV but which are resting. HIV drugs do not work on resting cells.

HPV (human papillomavirus) – a family of viruses associated with cervical cancer and anal cancer and genital warts.

syphilis – an STI that is a bacterial infection, usually transmitted by sexual contact. Untreated, syphilis can cause serious injury to an unborn baby.