Glossary

sensitivity – when referring to the accuracy of a test result, sensitivity refers to the proportion of people with an illness or disease who have a positive test result.

If a test has low sensitivity, then false-negative results are the concern – where people have a condition but it is missed.

If a test has high sensitivity, then people are accurately diagnosed – and only a few people are missed.

For a serious condition, high sensitivity is essential to be able to identify people early.

Online calculator.

See specificity.

sensitivity – when referring to the activity of a drug, sensitive means that a drug still works. As resistance develops a drug becomes less sensitive.

A complete loss of sensitivity implies that a drug is no longer working.

It also means that your partner may benefit from counselling.

outreach – a type of service which goes out to find and engage people.

bacteria – single-cell micro-organisms without a nucleus.

neutropenia – very low amount of neutrophils (neutrophils are white blood cells that fight bacterial infections).

microbicide – a gel that may protect against infection.In reference to HIV, this is usually referring to a gel that could be applied before sex. In 2010 a study called Caprisa 004 provided the first evidence that a microbicide (in this case a gel containing the HIV drug tenofovir) might protect against HIV infection.