Glossary

prenatal – before birth. The time in which the foetus (developing baby) grows in the uterus.

revertant mutation – this term is used in two ways.

Firstly when referring to a genetic change that shows the virus is returning from a drug resistant mutation back to a wild-type genotype. This can sometimes take several stages. For example, T215E/D/E and S are revertant mutations that can indicate the drug resistant mutation T215Y is being replaced by wild-type (i.e. T215T).

It can also refer to the fitness of a virus. A revertant mutation can refer to an additional mutation that allows the virus to regain viral fitness (most drug mutations also make the vurs less fit). The second example is called a compensatory mutation as is compensates for the reduced fitness caused by the first mutation.

BI – budding inhibitor. Class of HIV drug.

interferon – see pegylated interferon.

lymph (or lymphatic) system – vessels, nodes, organs and clear fluid, that are part of the immune system.