Search Menu

Glossary

Selected words and phrases

lymphoma – name for a cancer in the lymphatic system.

Cancer: lymphoma and sarcoma

TST – abbreviation for testosterone

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.

biopsy – taking a small sample of body tissue for examination and testing in the laboratory.

revertant mutation – this term is used in two ways.

Firstly when referring to a genetic change that shows the virus is returning from a drug resistant mutation back to a wild-type genotype. This can sometimes take several stages. For example, T215E/D/E and S are revertant mutations that can indicate the drug resistant mutation T215Y is being replaced by wild-type (i.e. T215T).

It can also refer to the fitness of a virus. A revertant mutation can refer to an additional mutation that allows the virus to regain viral fitness (most drug mutations also make the vurs less fit). The second example is called a compensatory mutation as is compensates for the reduced fitness caused by the first mutation.