Sticking to or being devoted to something. In ART, adherence involves taking medications in the correct amount, at the right time, in the way they are prescribed.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the name given to a group of serious illnesses in HIV positive people. AIDS develops when people living with HIV (PHL) are no longer able to fight off infections because of lowered immunity.

Special proteins produced by certain white blood cells to fight against specific disease causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

A substance from outside a person’s body that causes their immune system to produce antibodies as part of an immune response.

Anti Retroviral. Drugs used to fight HIV and AIDS. ARVs help to keep HIV from making copies of itself (replicating) within the immune system of persons living with HIV. If HIV cannot replicate, it is unable to attack the immune system and cause opportunistic infections that can lead to the progression of HIV to AIDS. So, therefore:

• ARVs stop HIV from multiplying within the immune system of a person living with HIV (reducing viral load).
• When HIV is stopped or slowed, the immune system is allowed recover (increasing CD4 cells).
• The better a person’s immune system is (more CD4) and the less HIV is present (viral load), a person’s body is better able to fight infections that can lead to AIDS.

Anti Retroviral Therapy. A term used to describe the treatment of HIV and AIDS. ART is what is called a ‘holistic’ treatment, which not only involves taking ARV drugs, but understanding HIV, AIDS and ART, preparing for and adhering to ARV regimes, ensuring proper nutrition, psychosocial support, palliative care and caring for the carers of people living with HIV.

No showing any symptoms of an illness or disease.

Methods of measuring adherence that involve testing levels of viral load (called a viral load assay), or the amount of drugs in a person’s blood (called Therapeutic Drug Monitoring or TDM). 

Is a term used to describe the negative effects that the stresses and strain of care giving can have on a person.

Is a term used to describe recognising that caring for others can produce stresses and strain on caregivers. Caring for carers involves ensuring the mental and physical well-being of people who care for others.

A common name for a type of white blood cell that is destroyed by HIV. The amount of CD4 cells in a person’s blood is used to test for AIDS, and to determine when to start ART. If a person has a CD4 count less than 200 they are said to have AIDS.

A CD4 count will tell a person living with HIV or AIDS:

• How weak or strong their immune system is (a high CD4 count means their immune system is strong).
• Whether to start antiretroviral therapy. Persons living with HIV with CD4 counts below 200 or 350 should start ART if it is available
• Whether to change antiretroviral therapy.
• If a person is on ART and their CD4 count begins to drop, the ARVs they are taking may have stopped working. They may need to take different ARVs. 

A term used to describe being infected with two things at once. In terms of HIV and AIDS, ‘co-infected’ is a common way to describe people who are infected with HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) at the same time.

A combination of more than one ARV in a single tablet. Combined therapy is aimed at helping people living with HIV take fewer pills in a single day.

A term used to describe providing support and breaking down barriers for successful ART interventions in a community.

One of the general principles of good care for people living with HIV which involves ensuring that their care remains consistent over time.

A term used to describe thoughts or activities that people use to deal with stress.

Methods of reducing stress and preventing burnout that involves ‘acting’ on your stress by gathering and using information, planning and taking real steps to help you cope.

Using food and nutritional practices to help manage HIV and AIDS related illnesses. Dietary management involves adjusting food intake to help people cope with the complications of HIV and opportunistic infections.

A method of measuring ART adherence that involves doctors of other medical staff making judgements about whether a person is adhering to ART treatment based on observation.

When one partner is positive and the other is HIV negative.

A term used to describe treating people differently or unfairly because they are HIV positive or different from others.

When an HIV positive mother ONLY breastfeeds her child and does not use any other form of nourishment (formulas, water, dairy milk) to prevent the transmission of HIV to her baby.

When a person tests negative for HIV when they are actually positive. This can happen during the window period, just after infection with the HI virus.

A term used to describe the first set of ARV drugs gives as part of ART therapy. Usually a combination of three antiretroviral drugs aimed at increasing CD4 counts and decreasing viral load while preventing resistance. 

A term used to describe keeping food safe from contamination or spoiling, or from having germs growing on it, so that it is healthy to eat rather than a source of infection for persons living with HIV.

The ability of people to access and afford enough food to meet their nutritional needs and live a healthy and productive life.

A combination of three antiretroviral drugs used to fight HIV and AIDS.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS by attacking the body’s immune system.

Illnesses that people living with HIV contract that can come from ‘outside’ of the body (such as colds and flu) and ‘inside’ of the body (opportunistic infections).

The result of HIV transmission, where the HI virus is spread and begins to grow, or ‘duplicate’, within a person’s body, making them sick.

HIV incidence refers to the number of new infections in a population or country over a specific period of time, for example one year.

The basis of Voluntary Counselling and testing (VCT), where the decision to take an HIV test is made entirely by the individual being tested.

A syndrome which often occurs in people living with HIV after beginning ART (between 2 – 11 months after ART). Patients with existing opportunistic infections often experience an increase in symptoms during this time. IRS is associated with improved CD4 count and lowering of viral load.

When the immune system is weakened.

The body’s defence against fighting infections.

A collection of changes in body shape - arms, legs, buttocks and cheeks become thin. Breasts, belly, back of neck gain fat. One of the possible side effects of ARVs.

A term used to describe the inability of the stomach to take-up nutrients from foods that are eaten.

One of the general principles of good care for persons living with HIV which recognises the important contribution they can make in the response in the fight against HIV and AIDS and creating a space within society for involvement and active participation of persons living with HIV in such responses (like ART intervention).

Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. One of the possible side effects of certain ARVs.

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors were some of the first classes or categories of ARV drugs developed. They interfere with the ability of HIV to reproduce in the body. They are active against both HIV-1 and HIV-2. Resistance to NRTIs can develop quickly if given as a single drug.

Non-nucleoside transcriptase inhibitors are another class or category of ARVs which also fight HIV by obstructing its ability to reproduce in the body. They do not work in HIV-2 or HIV-1 subtype 0 infection.

The failure of inability of a person living with HIV to adhere to their ARV regimen.

Infections that take the ‘opportunity’ of the weakened immune system caused by HIV to make people sick. 

A method of measuring adherence that involves the recording if persons living with HIV are re-filling their ARV prescriptions at the appropriate time.

Protease inhibitors (another class or category of ARVs) interfere with an enzyme (HIV protease enzyme) that build proteins that help HIV reproduce. They can therefore reduce the viral load.

A term used to describe ART regimens that involve many doses of pills each day with specific food and fluid instructions. High pill burden is associated with decreased levels of adherence.

A method of measuring adherence to ART that involves counting the number of pills taken and comparing that number against how many pills should be taken for 100% adherence.

A term used to describe steps taken by people living with HIV or AIDS that enhance their lives or increase their health.

An aspect of living positively for a person living with HIV, which involves preventing HIV transmission to others and prevention re-infection with HIV for self, as well as prevention of opportunistic infections (OIs).

Methods of preventing the uptake of the HI virus after being exposed to transmission by blood or fluid contact with an HIV infected person.

A word to describe how common something is. For example, an ‘HIV prevalence rate of 25%’ means that 25% of a given population is HIV positive.

Preventing the transmission of HIV from a mother to her child during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

A method of reducing stress and preventing burnout that involves engaging in activities or thought processes that help you to relax and let built-up stress be released.

Re-infection is infection with the same strain of HIV but from a different person. Because the virus changes once it is inside a person, particularly if that person is on ARV therapy, it is possible to acquire the same strain with different properties from another person. It may be a ‘drug-resistant’ strain if that person was on ARV therapy. See also super-infection.

A term used to describe the ability of the HI virus to change its structure so that ARV drugs become less effective. The fewer antiretroviral drugs a person is taking, the greater the chance the HI virus will have the opportunity to change. Resistance is the reason why ARVs are usually prescribed as a combination of three drugs. The idea behind this is that by giving different medications, the HI virus will have less opportunity to become resistant to any one ARV.

A group of viruses that combine with the material of a host cell. HIV is a retrovirus. “Retro” means “backwards” or “reverse”. A retrovirus is a type of virus that must use a substance called “reverse transcriptase” to copy itself in the cells.

A second line of ARV medications given to the individuals who have developed resistance to the first-line ARV regimens, or experienced treatment failure.

The time after the window period when a person’s body begins to make antibodies to HIV.

Before the appearance of antibodies to HIV in the blood, some people may develop symptoms following exposure to HIV. Antibodies usually become detectable at the same time as this illness. This is known as seroconversion illness. The symptoms include:

• Prolonged fever (4 - 14 days) and aching limbs.
• Red blotchy rash over the trunk.
• Sore throat.
• Ulceration in the mouth or genitals.
• Diarrhoea.
• Severe headaches.
• Aversion to light.

Negative attitudes towards people who are HIV positive, belong to a different group, or who have different characteristics than others.

HIV is a highly variable virus which changes or mutates very readily. This means that there are many different strains of HIV even within the body of a single infected person. Based on genetic similarities, the numerous virus strains can be classified into types, groups and subtypes.
There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. Worldwide the predominant virus is HIV-1. The relatively uncommon HIV-2 type is concentrated in West Africa. HIV-1 and HIV-2 can be classified into three groups, each of which has subtypes.

Is defined as feelings of being emotionally, physically or mentally overwhelmed when faced with a certain situation, event or person.

Super-infection is infection with a different strain or type f HIV in addition to the strain or type already present in the body, for example someone infected with HIV-1 can acquire HIV-2.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the organism that leads to active tuberculosis or TB, a disease of the respiratory system. Many people carry the TB bacterium with them for their lives without developing active TB. As the immune system is damaged by HIV, the TB bacterium inside a person’s body can become active. This is why TB is called an ‘opportunistic infection’ - because it takes the opportunity of the weakened immune system caused by HIV to become active. HIV is the strongest risk factor for developing active tuberculosis (TB) in people with latent TB. Antibiotics such as Rifampicin are used to treat and cure TB.

A method of measuring adherence by testing the levels of ARV drugs in a person’s blood.

Is the process of spreading or contracting HIV through one of the three modes of transmission (sexual contact, blood transmission, parent-to-child transmission).

A term used to describe the failure of ARVs to continue preventing opportunistic infections and/or increase CD4 levels. Treatment failure requires a change in ARV regimen.

Is the process of preparing an individual and community for ART intervention.

A term used to describe steps that should be taken by health care workers to prevent the transmission of HIV.

Voluntary Counselling and Testing, the common term used for the process of taking an HIV test.

A term used to describe the amount of HIV in a person’s body. The more HIV, the higher a person’s viral load will be.

A method of measuring adherence by measuring the viral load in a person’s blood. People who are adhering to ART are assumed to have a reduced viral load.

A viral load test will tell a person living with HIV/AIDS:

• How much HIV he or she has in their system.
• Whether antiretroviral therapy is working. ARVs act to decrease the amount of HIV in a person’s system. So, if a person on ART has a low viral load, the medications are doing their job.

Similar to treatment failure, but specifically describes the inability of ARVs to keep the viral load suppressed in a person living with HIV. Virological failure is associated with poor treatment adherence.

Time from infection with HIV until the body is able to make antibodies to fight the HI virus. The window period lasts approximately 6 - 12 weeks. A person may test negative for HIV during this time. See also False negative.