Glossary

The concentration of a drug needed to inhibit viral replication by either 50% (IC50) or 90% (IC90). IC stands for 'inhibitory concentration'.

Disorder whose cause is unknown.

Injecting drug user.

Medication where the active ingredient is released quite quickly, usually in less than 30 minutes.

A substance that changes an aspect of the way the immune system is working.

Improvement of the function of the immune system as a consequence of anti-HIV therapy.

The body's mechanisms for fighting infections and eradicating dysfunctional cells.

Another name for antibodies.

The effect of treatment on the immune system, particularly on the CD4 cell count.

Drug that reduces or prevents immune system activity.

A reduction in the ability of the immune system to fight infections or tumours.

Latin term meaning in the womb.

Latin term for experiments conducted in artificial environments, e.g. in test-tubes.

Latin term for experiments conducted in humans or animals.

The proportion of people who acquire an infection or develop a condition during a specified period of time. Incidence reflects newly acquired infections and conditions. See also ‘prevalence’.

The conditions which a person must meet to join a clinical trial.

Pain or discomfort in the chest or stomach caused by eating or drinking.

A patient’s agreement to continue with a clinical trial, a treatment or a diagnostic test after having received a full written or verbal explanation of the risks, benefits and the possible alternatives. See also ‘consent’.

Sleeplessness.

A hormone produced by the pancreas that tends to lower blood sugar levels.

HIV enzyme that the virus uses to insert its genetic material into that of an infected cell.

All participants in a clinical trial are included in the final analysis, in the groups they were originally assigned to, whether or not they actually completed their course of treatment. Provides a better estimate of the real world effect of a treatment than an ‘on treatment analysis’.

See ‘drug interaction’.

A natural protein produced by the human body in response to infection. Manufactured interferon alfa is a treatment against hepatitis B, hepatitis C, genital warts and some cancers. See also ‘pegylated interferon’ – this is the form of the most commonly used drug.

A type of cytokine.

See ‘range’.

Injected into a muscle.

During the birth of a baby.

Injected into a vein.

Injected into the eye.

In medical terms, going inside the body.

Scientific researcher.

An illness caused by the parasite Isospora belli.