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Glossary

Selected words and phrases

icterus – medical term for jaundice (yellowing skin)

opportunistic infection (OI) – an infection that occurs after your immune system has been damaged by HIV.

OI chapter of the training manual.

RNA – an abbreviation for the scientific word for genetic material found in some types of viruses. It is the abbreviation for ribonucleic acid. It is very similar to DNA but is single-strand rather than the double-strand in DNA. See DNA.

meningitis – inflammation (-itis) of the meninges (part of fluid that surrounds the brain). Meningitis can be caused by different infections – ie bacterial meningitis (from bacterial infection), viral meningitis (form a virus) etc.

Fibroscan – a non-invasive ultrasound scan that measures the ‘elasticity’ or stiffness of the liver.

i-Base video of a FibroScan on YouTube.