Glossary

genotype (or genotypic) – This term has several common uses:

1. a general term for the molecular structure of a living organism or virus.

2. a test that looks at the structure of an organism of virus (ie genotype resistance test looks for changes in the virus structure – called mutations).

3. a category for different types of similar viruses – ie hepatitis C has many subtypes, referred to as genotype-1, genotype-2 etc. HCV genotype is the strongest predictor of response to hepatitis C treatment.

See also phenotype.

virological failure – the term for when viral load levels never reach undetectable, or if they rebound to higher levels after previously being undetectable. See clinical failure.

Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) – detailed information about a drug provided by the maker that is approved by the European Regulatory Agency (EMEA/CPMP). Also called EPARs.

EMEA published SPCs

haematology – study (-ology) of blood (haema-)

nucleus – the central part of some cells that contains DNA.