Glossary
Adherence
The term to describe taking medication exactly as it is prescribed — taking it at the right time and following any diet advice
Antibody
A protein that is part of the immune system and which is produced to fight an infection.
Antigen
A protein found on the surface of a virus or bacteria. It is recognised by the immune system which then generates antibodies.
Antiretroviral (ARV)
An HIV drug (HIV is a retrovirus).
CD4 cells
A type of white blood cell that helps your body fight infections.
Combination therapy
Using 3 or more drugs together to treat HIV.
First-line therapy
The first combination of HIV drugs that you use.
HAART (or ART)
A term for combination therapy (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy).
Mutation
A change in the structure of the virus that can stop a drug from working.
Opportunistic infection (OI)
An infection that occurs after your immune system has been damaged by HIV.
Resistance
When changes to HIV (mutations) mean a drug doesn’t work as well. Good adherence helps prevent resistance.
Seroconversion
The time after HIV infection (usually a few weeks) when your body generates an immune response to HIV.
Side effects
Secondary effect of a drug other than the reason it is prescribed. Side effects are usually related to negative effects.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)
A test to measure the levels of drug in your blood.
Toxicity
The term for the degree to which a substance harms a person.
Treatment-experienced
Someone who has previously used anti-HIV treatments.
Treatment-naive
Someone who has never taken any anti-HIV treatments before (people who are treatment naive can still be resistant to anti-HIV drugs if they were infected with a drug resistant strain of HIV).
Triglycerides
A type of body fat.
Viral load test
A test to measure the amount of HIV in blood, but which can also check levels in other compartments like genital fluid, semen or spinal fluid. Tests can only measure down to certain levels (ie 50 copies/mL).
Viral rebound
When your viral load starts to rise above detectable levels.
Wild-type virus
HIV that has not developed any mutations. This is usually, but not always, the virus that you are first infected with.