[AID, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, "A viral suppression 
of the immune system that weakens the body's ability to withstand a
variety of opportunistic infections, viruses and malignancies."

[ANO, Anonymous testing for HIV, "Testing using anonymous 
identification numbers to insure that results are not publicly 
released but given only to the tested person.", "See also Confidential testing for HIV."

[ANT, Antibodies, "Cells manufactured by the immune system to target and protect against toxins and infectious agents."

[ANT, Antibody test, "A blood test that reveals the presence of antibodies to HIV, indicating that viral infection has 
occurred.  The ELISA and Western blot tests are antibody tests."

[ANT, Antigen, "A virus, bacteria, or other foreign substance in the blood that stimulates the production of antibodies."

[ANT, Antigen test, "Blood test used to double check positive results of the ELISA or Western blot antibody tests; checks for the presence of HIV itself, not antibodies to the virus."

[ANT, Antiviral, "A treatment that suppresses viral activity.", AZT and ddI are antivirals."

[ARC, ARC, AIDS related complex, "A variety of AIDS related symptoms such as swollen glands, fever and diarrhea, that 
precede AIDS but are not severe enough to be included in the DCD definition of AIDS.", "This term is rarely used now and has been replaced by `HIV symptomatic'."

[ASY, Asymptomatic, "Being without the symptoms of HIV infection, even though one may test positive for HIV."

[AZT, Zidovudine, "FDA approved antiviral that slows down the replication of HIV within healthy cells and helps prevent the 
onset of opportunistic infections.  AZT often has side effects, ranging from nausea to serious liver problems."

[BAC, Bactrim, "Drug used to treat PCP."

[BCE, B-cells, "White blood cells that participate in the body's immune response to infection."

[BOD, Bodily fluids, "Any fluid produced by the human body, for example, blood, sweat, urine, breast milk, vaginal fluids, 
semen, pre-cum and saliva.  Those bodily fluids known to transmit HIV are blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk."

[CAN, Candidiasis, "A chronic infection with the normally harmless yeast organism, Candida Albicans.  In the mouth, this yeast infection is called thrush."

[CD4, CD4-cells, lymphocytes, "See T-4 (helper) cells.

[CD8, CD8-cells, lymphocytes, "See T-8 (suppressor) cells.

[CDC, Centers for Disease Control, "Federal agency of the Public Health Service that tracks the incidence and trends of communicable diseases, conducts research and licenses clinical laboratories."

[CHR, Chronic, "Persistent or of long duration."

[CLI, Clinical trials, "Drug trials using human subjects to prove drug safety and to determine dose levels."

[CMV, Cytomegalovirus, "A virus related to herpes that can produce retinitis (inflammation of the retina that can lead to blindness), pneumonia, hepatitis and colitis (inflammation of the colon).

[CON, Confidential testing for HIV, "Often given by private doctors and public and private hospitals, testing whose 
results will be recorded in the tested person's medical charts 
and may be disclosed without his or her permission.", "See also Anonymous testing for HIV."

[DDC, ddc, dideoxycytidine, "FDA approved antiviral used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, particularly for patients who are 
intolerant of or ineligible for AZT, fail AZT, or are intolerant of or ineligible for ddI.  ddc often has side 
effects, including peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis, diarrhea and dehydration."

[DDI,, ddI, dideoxyinosine, "FDA approved antiviral that slows down the replication of HIV within healthy cells and helps prevent the onset of
opportunistic infections.  DdI is used particularly for people who either do not respond well to AZT or who are in advanced stages of HIV infection
with severe immunosuppression, ddI often has side effects, including peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis, diarrhea and dehydration."

[DEM, Dementia, "Loss of normal brain function, evidenced as loss of memory, learning ability and motor control."

[ELI, ELISHA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, "A blood test that reveals the presence of antibodies to HIV, indicating 
that viral infection has occurred.  Often called the HIV or AIDS test, it is the most common test for HIV."

[FAL, False positive, "A positive test result, when the condition is in fact negative."

[FOO, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, "Federal government agency that tests and licenses drugs."

[FUL, Full-blown AIDS, "The state of a formerly asymptomatic HIV positive person developing one or more diseases that are symptoms of immunosuppression."

[HER, Herpes, "A family of viruses including herpes simplex (cold sores), herpes genitalia (affecting the genitals), CMV, chicken pox and shingles."

{HIG, High-risk behavior, "Any activity that increases the risk of HIV transmission by allowing the exchange of body fluids.  This may include, for example, unsafe sex and sharing IV needles."

[HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, "The virus thought to be the cause of AIDS."

[HIV, HIV negative, "The state of having no antibodies to HIV present in the bloodstream.  The person who tests negative is presumed to be uninfected with HIV.  Also called seronegative."

[HIV, HIV positive, "The state of having antibodies to HIV present in the bloodstream. The person who tests positive is presumed to be infected with HIV.  Also called seropositive."

[HOS, Host cell, "Infected cell."

[HPV, HPV, human pappilomavirus, "Virus associated with genital warts and cervical cancer, which is common for women with HIV/AIDS."

[IMM, Immune system, "The body's system of defense mechanisms, through which cells and proteins in the blood and other body fluids work together to attack infection and disease producing agents."

[IMM, Immunosuppression, "Weakening of the immune system that occurs as a result of HIV infection."

[INC, Incubation period, "Length of time between actual HIV infection and the appearance of the first signs and symptoms of that infection."

[IND, Indicator diseases, "Opportunistic infections designated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as indicators of `full blown AIDS'.  PCP, KS, MAC, and CMV are among those indicator diseases."

[INT, Intravenous drugs, "Drugs injected directly into the bloodstream through a hypodermic needle."

[KS, Kaposi's sarcoma, "A rare skin cancer which appears as purplish lesions."

[LAT, Latency period, "See incubation period."

[MAC, MAC, mycobacterium avium complex, "Fungal infection normally seen in birds that attacks PWAs and is often misdiagnosed as the flu.", "the most
common opportunistic infection in PWAs", "also called MAI."

[MAC, Macrophases, "White blood cells that participate in the body's immune response to infection."

[MAI, MAI, mycobacterium avium intracellulare, "See MAC."

[NON, Nonoxynol-9, "A spermicide found in some lubricants and condoms, which may help prevent HIV transmission."

[OPP, Opportunistic infection, OI, "An infection that takes advantage of immunosuppression to attack a person's immune 
system.  The most commonly known opportunistic infections for PWAs are PCP, CMV, MAC and toxoplasmosis.  Some common 
opportunistic infections for female PWAs are PID, HPV and chronic vaginitis."

[PAN, Pandemic, "A worldwide epidemic."

[PCP, PCP, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, "A common parasitic infection that attacks the lungs, leading to the most common cause of death for people with AIDS."

[PEN, Pentamidine, "A drug used to treat PCP."

[PID, PID, pelvic inflammatory disease, "Infection that attacks a woman's fallopian tubes, ovaries and/or uterus."

[PRE, Pre-cum, "Clear fluid produced by a man's penis before ejaculation."

[PRO, Prophylaxis, "Preventive treatment."

[PRO, Protease Inhibitors, "A promising new class of antivirals in clinical trials that may prevent production of 
new virus in cells infected with HIV Therapy opens up a different line of defense against HIV."

[PWA, PWA, "Person with AIDS."

[RET, Retrovirus, "A virus that contains RNA rather than DNA as its genetic material.", "HIV is a retrovirus."

[SAF, Safer sex, "An array of sexual practices that may decrease the risk of HIV infection by preventing the 
transmission of bodily fluids during sex.  The standard `tools' of gay male safer sex are condoms and latex gloves.", 
"Some forms of safer sex are kissing, jerking off, phone sex and rubbing."

[SER, Seroconversion, "Development of antibodies to HIV."

[SPE, Spermicide, "A chemical that kills sperm."

[STD, STD, sexually transmitted disease, "Any disease that can be contracted through sexual behavior and practices.  Besides 
HIV/AIDS, STDs include syphilis, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, herpes, chlamydia and others."

[TCE, T-cell count, "A reading of the number of T-4 cells per millimeter of blood, used to determine how far a person's HIV infection has progressed."

[TCE, T-cells, lymphocytes, "White blood cells that direct the rest of the immune system and are the targets of HIV, include both T-4 and T-8 cells."

[T4, T-4 (helper) cells, lymphocytes, "Antibody-triggered cells that attack invading organisms and infections, also called CD4 cells."

[T8, T-8 (suppressor)cells, lymphocytes, "Cells that shut down the immune response when the infection or invading organisms have been destroyed, also called CD-8 cells."

[THR, Thrush, "See Candidiasis."

[TOX, Toxoplasmosis, "Infection affecting the brain."

[UNS, Unsafe sex, "High-risk sexual behavior, including sex without a condom or dental dam, that may lead to the exchange of bodily fluids and thus increase the odds of HIV transmission."

[VAG, Vaginitis, "Infection and inflammation of the vagina. When it is chronic, this can be a symptom of HIV infection in women."

[VEN, Venereal disease, "Another name for an STD."

[WES, Western blot test, "A test believed to be even more specific than ELISA, which identifies specific antibodies to HIV.  Used to double-check the results of ELISA."

[WHI, White blood cells, "All the cells of the immune system."

[WIN, Window period, "Period of time, usually six weeks to six months, between actual HIV infection and seroconversion, or the moment when the
body has produced enough antibodies to the virus to be detected by a blood test.  During the window period, HIV may be transmitted unknowingly."

[YEA, Yeast infection, "Vaginal infection that creates a white discharge."