Glossary of terms
Abbreviation | Denotation |
µL | microlitre |
3TC | lamivudine |
Ab | antibody |
ABC | abacavir |
ABMT | autologous bone marrow transplantation |
ACIP | CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, USA |
ACTH | adrenocorticotrophin hormone |
ADCC | antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity |
AFAO | Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations |
Ag | antigen |
AIDS | Acquired immune deficiency syndrome |
AI | AIDS-defining illness |
ALT | alanine aminotransferase or alanine transaminase |
Anti-HBc | antibody to hepatitis B core antigen |
Anti-HBe | antibody to hepatitis B e antigen |
Anti-HBs | antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen |
ART | antiretroviral therapy |
ARVS | acute retroviral syndrome |
ASHM | Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine |
AST | aspartate aminotransferase |
ATV | atazanavir |
AUC | area under the curve |
AZT | zidovudine or azidothymidine or ZDV |
B cell | a type of immune cell |
bd | twice daily (latin: bis die) |
bDNA | branched deoxyribonucleic acid |
BMD | bone mineral density |
CAF | cell-associated factor |
cART | combination antiretroviral therapy |
CHOP | chemotherapy (cyclophosphanud, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone) |
CCR5 | chemokine coreceptor on the surface of cells |
CD4 | cell a helper T-cell which carries the CD4 surface antigen. CD4 cells are the primary target of HIV and CD4 cell numbers decline during HIV disease. |
CD8 | cell a killer or cytotoxic T-cell which carries the CD8 surface antigen. |
CDC | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA |
CI | confidence interval |
CIN | cervical intraepithelial neoplasia |
CMV | cytomegalovirus |
CNS | central nervous system |
CPE | CNS penetration-effectiveness |
CRF | circulating recombinant form |
CSF | cerebrospinal fluid |
CT | computed tomography |
CTL | cytotoxic T lymphocyte |
CVD | cardiovascular disease |
CXCR4 | chemokine receptor |
d4T | stavudine |
DAD | Data Collection on Adverse events of Anti-HIV Drugs |
DC | dendritic cell |
DC-SIGN | dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3-grabbing non-integrin |
ddC | zalcitabine |
ddI | didanosine |
DEXA | dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry |
DHHS | US Department of Health and Human Services |
DILS | diff use infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome |
DLV | delavirdine |
DM | diabetes mellitus |
DN | double negative |
DNA | deoxyribonucleic acid |
DOT | directly observed therapy |
DRV | darunavir |
EBV | Epstein Barr virus |
EC | elite controllers |
EFV | efavirenz |
EIA | enzyme immunosorbent assay |
ELISA | enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay |
ELISPOT | enzyme-linked immunospot assay |
ENF | enfuvirtide |
ERCP | endoscopic retrograde cholangiography |
ETV | etravirine |
EVG | elvitegravir |
FasL | Fas ligand |
FBC | full blood count |
FDA | Food and Drug Administration USA |
FPV | fosamprenavir |
FTA-Abs | fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test |
FTC | emtricitabine |
GBV-C | flavivirus GB virus-C |
GCSF | granulocyte colony stimulating factor |
GH | growth hormone |
GHRH | growth hormone-releasing hormone |
GI | gastrointestinal |
GORD | gastro-oesophageal reflux disease |
gp120 | glycoprotein on surface of HIV which binds to the CD4 receptor |
gp41 | glycoprotein on the surface of HIV involved in fusion between HIV and the CD4 cell |
HAART | highly active antiretroviral therapy (see cART, now preferred terminology) |
HAD | HIV-1-associated dementia |
HAND | HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders |
HAV | hepatitis A virus |
HBsAG | hepatitis B surface antigen |
HBeAG | hepatitis B envelope antigen |
HBV | hepatitis B virus |
HCC | hepatocellular carcinoma |
HCV | hepatitis C virus |
HD | Hodgkin’s disease |
HDL | high-density lipoprotein |
HEPS | highly exposed but persistently seronegative |
HHV8 | human herpesvirus type 8 |
HIV | human immunodeficiency virus |
HIV-1 | human immunodeficiency virus-1 |
HIV-2 | human immunodeficiency virus-2 |
HIVAN | HIV- associated nephropathy |
HLA | human leukocyte antigens |
HPLC | high-performance liquid chromatography |
HPV | human papilloma virus |
HSV | herpes simplex virus |
HZ | herpes zoster |
IDSA | Infectious Diseases Society of America |
IDU | injecting drug use |
IDV | indinavir |
IFN | interferon |
Ig | immunoglobin |
IL | interleukin |
IM | intramuscularly |
INR | international normalised ratio (a test of blood clotting) |
IRD | immune restoration disease |
ISR | injection site reactions |
ITP | immune thrombocytopenic purpura |
IU | international unit (measurement) |
IV | intravenous |
JCV | John Cunningham virus |
KGF | keratin growth factor |
KOH | potassium hydroxide |
KS | Kaposi’s sarcoma |
LDL | low-density lipoprotein |
LFT | liver function test |
LN | lymph node |
LP | lumbar puncture |
LPS | lipopolysaccharide |
LPV | lopinavir |
LPV/r | lopinavir/ritonavir |
LTNP | long-term non-progressors |
LTR | long-terminal repeat |
MAC | Mycobacterium avium complex |
MACS | Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study |
mDC | myeloid dendritic cells |
MDMA | Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (Ecstasy) |
MDR | multidrug resistance |
MHC | major histocompatibility complex |
MIC | minimum inhibitory concentration |
MIP | macrophage inflammatory proteins |
mL | millilitre |
mmol | millimole |
MND | mild neurocognitive disorder |
MRI | magnetic resonance image |
MRS | magnetic resonance spectroscopy |
MRSA | methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
MSM | men who have sex with men |
MTCT | mother-to-child transmission |
MF | macrophages |
NAA | nucleic acid amplification |
NAM | nucleoside analogue mutation |
NF | nuclear factor |
NFV | nelfinavir |
NHL | non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma |
NNRTI | non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor |
NPEP | non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis |
NRTI | nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) |
NSI | non-syncytium inducing |
NVP | nevirapine |
OC | oesophageal candidiasis |
OHL | oral hairy leukoplakia |
OI | opportunistic infection |
ORF | open reading frame |
p24 | a core HIV protein, the primary protein detected by the HIV antigen test |
PBMC | peripheral blood mononuclear cells |
PBS | Pharmaceutical benefits Scheme |
PCNSL | primary central nervous system lymphoma |
PCR | polymerase chain reaction |
PD | programmed death |
PEP | post-exposure prophylaxis |
pg/mL | picogram per millilitre |
PI | protease inhibitors |
PI/r | protease inhibitors boosted by ritonavir |
PJP | Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia previously Pneumocystis carinii |
PK | pharmacokinetic |
PLA | poly-L-lactic acid |
PML | progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy |
PNG | Papua New Guinea |
PPAR | peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor |
PTH | parathyroid hormone |
qd | every day (latin: quaqua die) |
qds | to be taken four times a day (Latin: quater die sumendum) |
RAL | raltegravir |
RANTES | regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted |
RNA | ribonucleic acid |
RPR | rapid plasmin reagin |
RT | reverse transcriptase |
RT-PCR | reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction |
RTV | ritonavir |
SAS | Special Access Scheme |
SAT | subcutaneous adipose tissue |
SDF | stromal cell-derived factor |
s100 | a section of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which provides access to highly specialised drugs |
SI | syncytium inducing |
SIL | squamous intraepithelial lesions |
SIV | Simian Immunodeficiency Virus |
SMART | Strategies for Management of Antiretroviral Therapy study |
SN | sensory neuropathy |
SP | single positive |
SQV | saquinavir |
SSRI | selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor |
STI | sexually transmitted or transmissble infection |
SVR | sustained virological response |
T-20 | enfuvirtide |
TAMs | thymidine analogue mutations |
TB | tuberculosis |
T cell | type of lymphocyte |
TcR | T cell receptors |
td | three times daily (Latin: ter die) |
tds | to be taken three times a day (Latin: ter die sumendum) |
TDF | tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or tenofovir |
TDM | therapeutic drug monitoring |
TEN | toxic epidermal necrolysis |
TGA | Therapeutic Drugs Administration |
Th1 | type 1 helper lymphocytes |
Th2 | type 2 lymphocytes |
TLR | toll like receptors |
TNF | tumour necrosis factor |
TP-PA | Treponema pallidum particle agglutination |
TPV | tipranavir |
TREC | T-cell receptor excision circles |
Treg | specialised regulatory T cells |
TRIM5alpha | human tripartite motif 5 alpha |
TSG | tumor suppressor gene |
TSLP | thymic stromal lymphopoetin |
TST | tuberculin skin test |
UNAIDS | The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS |
USA | United States of America |
UTR | untranslated region |
VAT | visceral adipose tissue |
VL | viral load |
VLDL | very low density lipoprotein |
VM | vacuolar myelopathy |
VRE | vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus |
VZV | varicella zoster virus |
ZDV | zidovudine |