AIDS: See Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

ARV: See antiretroviral drugs

AZT: The brand name for zidovudine (ZDV), a treatment for HIV infection.

Abstinence: Voluntary refraining from a particular behaviour. The voluntary decision not to engage in sexual relations of any kind, or only not to engage in penetrative sex. Reasons for abstinence include for the prevention of pregnancy, for religious reasons, or because of concerns about STIs/HIV infection.

Accrual: The process of signing people up to participate in drug trials.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): The most severe manifestation of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in which HIV has severely damaged the immune system, leaving the affected person susceptible to infections and malignancies. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention list numerous opportunistic diseases that, in the presence of HIV infection, constitute an AIDS diagnosis, HIV-infected individuals with a CD4 T cell count of <200/mL have AIDS by definition, regardless of the presence of symptoms of opportunistic diseases.

Active immunity: Immunity produced by the body in response to stimulation by a disease-causing organism or other agent, such as bacteria.

Acupuncture: An ancient Chinese treatment method involving needle insertion at specific points in the body.

Adverse reaction: An unwanted effect caused by the intake of drugs, which may be sudden or can develop over time.

Advocacy: Influencing outcomes, including public policy and resource allocation within political, economic and social institutions and systems, which directly affect people’s lives.

Affected by HIV/AIDS: Describes those people who are not necessarily HIV positive, but who have friends of family members living with HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS thus has an impact on their lives, and they may even have to deal with similar consequences as those who have HIV, such as experiencing stigma and discrimination, and exclusion from social services.

Alleviate: To lessen or reduce.

Amphetamine: A compound/drug that acts as a central nervous system stimulant.

Anemia: Having an abnormally low number of red blood cells.

Anorexia: Having a prolonged loss of appetite. Young women with wasting syndrome due to HIV-infection are often diagnosed as anorexic.

Antibiotic: A natural or synthetic substance that inhibits the growth of or destroys micro-organisms, typically bacteria (e.g. penicillin).

Antibodies: Molecules in the blood or other body fluids that tag, destroy, or neutralize bacteria, viruses, or other harmful toxins (antigens).

Antigen: Any substance that the immune system can recognize as ‘foreign’ and attack.

Antiretroviral drug treatment: A cocktail of several drugs prescribed to inhibit the spread of HIV in an infected person.

Antiretroviral drugs (ARV): Substances used to kill or inhibit the multiplication of retroviruses such as HIV.

Antiviral: A substance that attacks a virus, and stops and suppresses viral activity.

Asymptomatic seropositive: An individual who has HIV but shows no apparent symptoms. HIV positive individuals can still transmit HIV to others even though they are asynotomatic.

Autoimmune disease: A disease caused by an immune system attack on itself.

Autoimmune response: A response caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues.