Glossary

symptom – a sign of illness.

intent-to-treat analysis (ITT) and on-treatment analysis (OT) – two important ways that trial results are analysed. ITT includes all patients who entered the study and is more rigorous. OT only calculates the response rates for people still on the randomised treatment.

viral load test – a test that detects whether a virus is present (qualatitive) or that measures the amount of virus (quantitative).

This is usually in a sample of blood, but a viral load test can also be used to check viral levels in other samples including genital fluid, semen or spinal fluid.

Results are given as the number of copies of virus in a millilitre of blood (copies/mL).

cervical smear – test to look for abnormal cells in the cervix and uterus.

STARHS – this is a type of HIV test that can indicate whether you are likely to have been infected within the last six months. STARHS stands for Serological Testing Algorithm for Recent HIV Seroconversion. In the UK this test is now called RITA (Recent Infection Treatment Algorithm).