Glossary

bDNA – branched DNA. A type of viral load test.

salvage therapy – a term for the combination therapy used after someone has developed resistance to three or more classes of HIV drugs. Also called ‘third-line’ or ‘rescue therapy’ or ‘treatment of patients with multidrug resistance’.

protozoa – a single-celled animals that are larger and more complex than bacteria.

cross-resistance – when resistance to one drug causes resistance to other similar drugs.

This commonly happens for every class or family of HIV drugs: nukes, NNRTIs, PIs, integrase inhibitors and entry inhibitors.

resistance – when the genetic structure of an organism (virus, bacteria, fungi etc) changes in a way that stops a drug from working. See mutation.

Changing treatment and drug resistance.