The discussion around HIV and Aids can sometimes be confusing, adding another barrier in understanding an already difficult-to-understand issue.
These are some of the more commonly used terms, which are also likely to be used in the discussions leading up to this week’s International Aids Conference dealing with the epidemic:
* Adherence
Adherence means taking treatment for HIV exactly as you were told to. Poor adherence can lead to drug resistance which means the treatment will stop working.
* Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs)
These are drugs used to treat HIV and prevent it from copying itself and spreading throughout the body. They keep the virus at low levels.
* Antiretroviral treatment (ART)
This is the treatment for HIV. ART uses a combination of three or more antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to stop HIV from spreading throughout the body.
* CD4 count
CD4 count is a measure of the number of CD4 cells (or T-helper cells) in a sample of blood. A simple blood test can count the cells. CD4 cells are a type of immune system cell in the body that HIV attacks and kills over time.
* Co-infection
This is when someone has more than one health condition at the same time. For example, when a person with HIV also has tuberculosis (TB), they are said to have an HIV/TB co-infection. This can make treatment for both infections more difficult.
* Co-morbidity
This describes someone who has two or more diseases or health conditions at a time.
For example, a person with HIV may also have high blood pressure.
* Window period
The window period refers to the time it takes for HIV to show up in a specific HIV
test. The length of the window period will depend on the type of test you take. If you feel like you may be at risk of HIV, do not wait, speak to a health care professional as soon as possible. The most important thing is to test.
* Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
PEP is short-term treatment that must be taken straight after possible exposure to
HIV, for example after unprotected sex. It stops HIV spreading throughout the body and causing an infection.
* Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
PrEP is a course of treatment taken before possible exposure to HIV to reduce the risk of infection.
* Serodiscordant couple
A serodiscordant couple is when one person has HIV and the other does not.
* Aids Dementia Complex (ADC)
The most common central nervous system (CNS) complication of HIV infection,
ADC is characterised by a group of clinical presentations including loss of co- ordination, mood disorders, inability or difficulty in reasoning and loss of inhibitions. Usually occurs in latter stage disease but may occur sooner.
* Blood-to-blood contact
The mixing together of blood from two (or more) people. Principal ways of transmitting HIV through blood-to- blood contact are shared needles or syringes, blood transfusions, blood components, clotting factors or organ transplants (rare since 1985), and from mother to child before or during birth.
Sources: Avert and The Aids Institute