bacteria – single-cell micro-organisms without a nucleus.
Glossary
B
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).
baseline – baseline refers to the start of any period being studied. For someone who is HIV positive, their baseline CD4 and viral load counts are the first tests they ever had taken. For someone entering a study, the baseline results refer to their test results at the start of the study. Baseline results for following resistance refers to the results of the first resistance test.
BD (or bid) – a short hand term for medication dosing that means ‘twice-daily’.
bDNA – branched DNA. A type of viral load test.
benign – not harmful.
BI – budding inhibitor. Class of HIV drug.
bilateral – both sides.
bile duct – a tube that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and then to the small intestine biopsy: taking a small sample of body tissue for examination and testing in the laboratory
biopsy – taking a small sample of body tissue for examination and testing in the laboratory.
blip – small, occasional increase in viral load.
blood sugar – glucose in the blood. When carbohydrates are digested they produce glucose, which circulates in the blood and is used by the body as fuel.
BMI (body mass index) – a calculation using height and weight that is used to decide whether someone is over or under weight.
boosted-PI – a protease inhibitor taken with an additional dose of ritonavir. The ritonavir boost levels of the protease inhibitor by either increasing the initial drugs levels or reducing how quickly or reducing how quickly it is removed by your body. Ritonavir (itself a protease inhibitor) is currently the only drug used in this way. Other boosters are in development including cobicistat which has no direct anti-HIV activity.
bradycardia is when the heart beats too slowly.
tachycardia refers to when the heart beats too fast.
See: arrhythmia
brand name drug – drug supplied under a marketing name. Brand name drugs are usually protected by patents, but some generic drugs also have brand names
buprenorphine – strong pain-killer useful for treating heroin addiction. See also methadone.