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for and by young people with HIV
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The ABC of HIV and AIDS
There are many misconceptions about HIV and AIDS. With the help of this glossary, we are trying to get rid of those wrong ideas so that you can form a correct understanding of the effects of the virus, the course of the infection and the detection and treatment of HIV.
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A
AIDS
AIDS stands for 'Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome'. With AIDS, the immune system is so badly damaged by the HIV virus that your body can no longer defend itself against pathogens (microorganisms that can cause diseases). People with AIDS get infections that normally wouldn't be dangerous for a healthy immune system.
AIDS Reference Centre (ARC)
this is a centre in Flanders that is specialised in providing support and medical and psychological guidance to people with HIV and AIDS. People with HIV in the Netherlands get treated in an HIV Treatment Centre.
anti(retro)viral drugs
these are medicines that block the production of the virus and thus slow down its destruction of the immune system. There are different types of these medicines - each with a specific effect - that are taken in combination with each other. That is why we speak of the 'combination therapy' or a 'cocktail' of medicines. Thanks to the anti(retro)viral drugs, HIV is evolving more and more into a chronic disorder. The treatment with anti(retro)viral drugs is also known as anti(retro)viral therapy.
antiretroviral therapy (ART)
see cocktail
antibodies
these are blood proteins that the immune system produces in order to combat pathogens (microorganisms that can cause diseases). It takes at least three months after an HIV infection for your body to make enough antibodies for them to be detected by an HIV test.
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B
bacteria
these are single-celled microorganisms without a nucleus that can reproduce themselves through asexual division.
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C
CD4 cell
this is a white blood cell that coordinates the body's defence against pathogens (microorganisms that can cause diseases). The HIV virus uses the CD4 cell to reproduce itself. Infected CD4 cells break down or are no longer able to function. Another name for a CD4 cell is T4 cell.
cocktail (combination therapy)
this is a treatment involving three or four different anti(retro)viral drugs at the same time. The goal is to block the production of the virus, so that the immune system will no longer be damaged and can even begin to restore itself (somewhat).
combination therapy
see cocktail
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D
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E
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F
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G
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H
HAART (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy)
see cocktail
HIV
This is a virus that slowly but surely destroys your natural immune system, so that your body can no longer defend itself against pathogens (microorganisms that can cause diseases). HIV is stands for 'Human Immunodeficiency Virus'.
HIV positive
when antibodies against HIV have been found in someone's blood, this person is said to be HIV positive. Someone who is HIV positive is a carrier of the virus and can infect others with it.
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I
immune system
the immune system defends the human body against pathogens like viruses, bacteria, parasites, and moulds. The HIV virus attacks and destroys your immune system until your body can no longer defend itself against pathogens.
infection
this is when microorganisms (bacteria, moulds, viruses, parasites, etc.) penetrate and reproduce themselves in your body.
interaction
this is when one (alternative) medicine has an undesired effect on another medicine.
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J
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K
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L
long-term non-progressors
these are people with HIV who have not received treatment but who have also not undergone an evolution towards AIDS and have managed to maintain a strong immune system.
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M
mutation
this is a sudden change in one or more genetic (hereditary) properties.
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N
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O
opportunistic infections
this is a sudden change in one or more genetic (hereditary) properties.
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P
parasite
this is an organism that lives on or in another organism (the host) and feeds at the host's expense. Parasites usually cause no problems, unless one's immune system has been weakened.
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
this is a treatment with anti(retro)viral drugs for someone who has been exposed to HIV only shortly before. The treatment reduces the chance that the person will become infected with HIV as long as the treatment is started quickly: preferably within 2 hours, and no later than 72 hours after the risky contact. The treatment lasts a month and must be prescribed by a doctor. Because a PEP treatment has severe side effects, a doctor will only prescribe PEP if the person has run a great risk. It is up to the doctor to decide whether or not the treatment is necessary.
preventive
this is another word for prophylactic, protective (intended to stop a disease from occuring).
prophylactic medication
this is medication used to prevent a particular disease.
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Q
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R
resistance
this is when HIV undergoes a change, with the result that a medicine will have less or no more effect on it.
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S
sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
see STIs.
serodiscordant couple
this is a couple in which one of the partners is seropositive and one partner is seronegative.
seropositive
see HIV positive.
STIs (sexually transmitted infections)
these are infections caused by bacteria or viruses that are passed on through sexual contact. Examples of STIs include syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital and anal warts, and hepatitis B.
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T
T4 cell
see CD4 cell.
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U
undetectable
when the viral load is less that the amount that can be observed via a test, it is referred to as an undetectable viral load.
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V
viral load
this is the amount of virus present in one's blood. It is usually expressed as the number of copies per millilitre of blood.
virus
this is an infectious protein compound without a cell structure that only comes to life and can make copies of itself when it has entered into a living cell.
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W
white blood cell
the immune system consists of white blood cells. A CD4 cell is a kind of white blood cell.
wild type virus
this is a name for the original form of the virus (without any mutations, resistance, etc.).
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X
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Y
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Z
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