primary mutation – see major mutation.
Glossary
Selected words and phrases
base – (also called nucleotide) – the building blocks in DNA that form amino acids. There are four bases represented by the letters A (adenine), T (thymine), C (cytosine) and G (guanine). In RNA the T is replaced by U (uricil).
induction (in the liver) – refers to the body processing a drug more quickly by inducing (or increasing) more of the enzymes that clear the drug. This leads to lower drug levels.
life cyle – the steps for an organism to reproduce or replicate.
The HIV life cycle includes:
- Attachment and binding to a CD4 cell).
- Fusion or joining the cell.
- Reverse transcription. When the single strand RNA becomes a double strand DNA.
- Integration. When the new double-strand virus enter the CD4 cell nucleus and is integrated into humn DNA.
- Replication. When new viral material is produced from the nucleus.
- Assembly and maturation. When new viral mateiral is cut up and reassembed to become new active virus.
- Budding. When the new virus leaves the CD4 cell.
See: HIV life cycle – how different drugs work in different ways.
malaria – a parasite infection of red blood cells.