Key Terms and Vocabulary
| Acute retroviral syndrome | A group of symptoms resembling mononucleosis that often are the first sign of HIV infection in 50-70% of all patients and 45-90% of women |
| AIDS dementia complex | A type of brain dysfunction caused by HIV infection that causes difficulty thinking, confusion, and loss of muscular coordination. |
| Antibody | A specific protein produced by the immune system in response to a specific foreign protein or particle called an antigen. |
| Antigen | Any substance that stimulates the body to produce antibody. |
| Autoimmunity | A condition in which the body’s immune system produces antibodies in response to its own tissues or blood components instead of foreign particles or microorganisms. |
| CCR5 | A chemokine receptor; defects in its structure caused by genetic mutation cause the progression of AIDS to be prevented or slowed. |
| CD4 | A type of protein molecule in human blood, sometimes called the T4 antigen, that is present on the surface of 65% of immune cells. The HIV virus infects cells with CD4 surface proteins, and as a result, depletes the number of T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, and monocytes in the patient’s blood. Most of the damage to an AIDS patient’s immune system is done by the virus’ destruction of CD4+ lymphocytes. |
| Chemokine receptor | A receptor on the surface of some types of immune cells that helps to mediate entry of HIV into the cell. |
| Hairy leukoplakia of the tongue | A white area of diseased tissue on the tongue that may be flat or slightly raised. It is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and is an important diagnostic sign of AIDS. |
| Hemophilia | Any of several hereditary blood coagulation disorders occurring almost exclusively in males. Because blood does not clot properly, even minor injuries can cause significant blood loss that may require a blood transfusion, with its associated minor risk of infection. |
| Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) | A transmissible retrovirus that causes AIDS in humans. Two forms of HIV are now recognized: HIV-1, which causes most cases of AIDS in Europe, North and South America, and most parts of Africa; and HIV-2, which is chiefly found in West African patients. HIV-2, discovered in 1986, appears to be less virulent than HIV-1 and may also have a longer latency period. |
| Immunodeficient | A condition in which the body’s immune response is damaged, weakened, or is not functioning properly. |
| Kaposi’s sarcoma | A cancer of the connective tissue that produces painless purplish red (in people with light skin) or brown (in people with dark skin) blotches on the skin. It is a major diagnostic marker of AIDS. |
| Latent period | Also called incubation period, the time between infection with a disease-causing agent and the development of disease. |
| Lymphocyte | A type of white blood cell that is important in the formation of antibodies and that can be used to monitor the health of AIDS patients. |
| Lymphoma | A cancerous tumor in the lymphatic system that is associated with a poor prognosis in AIDS patients. |
| Macrophage | A large white blood cell, found primarily in the bloodstream and connective tissue, that helps the body fight off infections by ingesting the disease-causing organism. HIV can infect and kill macrophages. |
| Monocyte | A large white blood cell that is formed in the bone marrow and spleen. About 4% of the white blood cells in normal adults are monocytes. |
| Mycobacterium avium (MAC) infection | A type of opportunistic infection that occurs in about 40% of AIDS patients and is regarded as an AIDS-defining disease. |
| Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors | The newest class of antiretroviral drugs that work by inhibiting the reverse transcriptase enzyme necessary for HIV replication. |
| Nucleoside analogues | The first group of effective anti-retroviral medications. They work by interfering with the AIDS virus’ synthesis of DNA. |
| Opportunistic infection | An infection by organisms that usually don’t cause infection in people whose immune systems are working normally. |
| Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) | A condition in which HIV continues to produce chronic painless swellings in the lymph nodes during the latency period. |
| Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) | An opportunistic infection caused by a fungus that is a major cause of death in patients with late-stage AIDS. |
| Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) |
A disease caused by a virus that destroys white matter in localized areas of the brain. It is regarded as an AIDS-defining illness. |
| Protease inhibitors | The second major category of drug used to treat AIDS that works by suppressing the replication of the HIV virus. |
| Protozoan | A single-celled, usually microscopic organism that is eukaryotic and, therefore, different from bacteria (prokaryotic). |
| Retrovirus | A virus that contains a unique enzyme called reverse transcriptase that allows it to replicate within new host cells. |
| T cells | Lymphocytes that originate in the thymus gland. T cells regulate the immune system’s response to infections, including HIV. CD4 lymphocytes are a subset of T lymphocytes. |
| Thrush | A yeast infection of the mouth characterized by white patches on the inside of the mouth and cheeks. |
| Viremia | The measurable presence of virus in the bloodstream that is a characteristic of acute retroviral syndrome. |
| Wasting syndrome | A progressive loss of weight and muscle tissue caused by the AIDS virus. |
No Hiv, No Aids on January 26th 2007
margee kimmel responded on 10 May 2007 at 8:49 pm #
thanks soo much for this information….i am working on a project with AFSC called Red Hot Embers which makes awareness of Debt and HIV/AIDs in Africa. thanks so much!