Glossary of HIV/AIDS Terms
This glossary contains 1,600 terms and is maintained by the editors of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS.
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d4T (generic name stavudine, brand name Zerit): a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug approved for use as part of combination antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV disease.
data (singular datum): factual information, especially results of an experiment or clinical trial.
data safety and monitoring board (acronym DSMB): a group of experts that evaluates clinical trials for safety and ethics; DSMBs typically examine interim data as a trial progresses and determine whether it should be stopped or allowed to continue.
ddC (generic name zalcitabine, brand name Hivid): a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug approved for use as part of combination antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV disease.
ddI (generic name didanosine, brand name Videx): a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug approved for use as part of combination antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV disease.
debride: to surgically remove tissue, especially surface tissue.
decay rate: the rate at which an amount (e.g., HIV viral load) declines over time.
deciliter (acronym dl): 100 milliliters, or one-tenth of a liter.
decompensated cirrhosis: See cirrhosis.
deferred therapy: therapy given later in the course of disease, often after symptoms have appeared.
definitive: conclusive, unquestionable; a definitive diagnosis is made by detection of an organism (e.g., virus, bacteria) via culture, biopsy, or other procedure.
degeneration: progressive deterioration of a tissue or organ leading to structural or functional impairment.
dehydration: loss or lack of water in the body; dehydration may result from prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, and may interfere with or disrupt bodily processes.
dehydroepiandrosterone (acronym DHEA): a weak androgenic steroid produced by the adrenal cortex.
delavirdine (brand name Rescriptor): a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug approved for use as part of combination antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV disease.
delayed-type hypersensitivity (acronym DTH): a cell-mediated immune response that peaks 24-72 hours after restimulation with an antigen to which the body has previously been exposed; on an antigen skin test, a local DTH reaction characterized by redness and induration (hardness and swelling) indicates past exposure.
dementia: chronic loss of mental capacity due to an organic cause; dementia may involve progressive deterioration of thinking, memory, behavior, personality, and motor function, and may also be associated with psychological symptoms such as depression and apathy. See also AIDS dementia complex.
demographics: the characteristics of a population (e.g., sex, race, age, geographic location).
demyelinating neuropathy: a type of nerve damage that involves demyelination, or the loss of the lipid myelin sheath that surrounds nerve cells and is necessary for proper neural conduction.
dendritic cell: a type of immune cell with many branches found in the skin and mucous membranes. Dendritic cells are typically the first to arrive at a site of injury or infection; they bind to invaders and transport them to lymph nodes, where the cell-mediated immune response is initiated.
dental dam: a flat latex square, traditionally used for dental surgery, that can be used to protect against the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. A dental dam (or a substitute such as plastic wrap) is placed between the mouth of one partner and the genitals or anus of another, thus preventing the exchange of fluids during oral sex.
deoxyribonucleic acid (acronym DNA): a molecule found in the nucleus of cells as a twisted double-stranded chain (double helix) that encodes genetic information; the particular sequence of four chemical building blocks (nucleotides) that make up a DNA chain -- adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine -- determines an individual?s unique genetic makeup. See also ribonucleic acid.
Department of Health and Human Services (acronym DHHS): the U.S. federal government division that includes the Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
dependence: a state in which a person becomes reliant on a substance and experiences withdrawal symptoms (e.g., sweating, tremors) when the substance is abruptly stopped. See also addiction.
depression: a mood disorder characterized by prolonged sadness, decreased energy, low self-esteem, sleep disorders, impaired concentration, loss of interest in normal activities, and/or suicidal thoughts.
See also dysthymia.
dermal: refers to the skin.
dermatitis: inflammation of the skin.
desensitization: reduced sensitivity to an antigen or drug, typically achieved by administering a small amount and gradually increasing the dose.
DEXA scan: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, a method of determining the composition of body tissues (e.g., bone mineral density, body fat percentage).
diabetes: a disease characterized by excessive urination and increased thirst. Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) is caused by insufficient insulin production or cells? lack of responsiveness to insulin, resulting in hyperglycemia (high blood glucose). There are two primary types of diabetes mellitus. Type 1 (also called juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM]) is caused by autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and usually requires daily insulin injections. Type 2 (also called adult-onset, insulin-resistant, or non?insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM]) is characterized by progressive loss of insulin sensitivity and increasing blood glucose levels, and commonly occurs in overweight people. Blood glucose abnormalities that develop in people with HIV resemble type 2 diabetes. Diabetes insipidus is an uncommon, unrelated condition typically due to hormonal dysregulation or kidney dysfunction. See also insulin resistance.
diagnosis: determination of the existence of a disease or condition; diagnosis generally involves the evaluation of an individual’s medical history, clinical symptoms, and/or laboratory test results.
dialysis: a procedure for cleansing the blood using membranes to filter out waste products; kidney dialysis is a substitute for the function of damaged or absent kidneys.
diarrhea: frequent, loose bowel movements; several infectious microorganisms cause diarrhea, and it is also a common drug side effect.
didanosine: generic name of ddI.
dietitian: a medical professional specializing in dietetics, the study of nutrition and the use of special diets to prevent or treat disease.
differential diagnosis: a method of diagnosis that involves determining which of a variety of possible conditions is the probable cause of an individual’s symptoms, often by a process of elimination.
diffuse: spread out; not concentrated.
directly observed therapy (acronym DOT): a method of medication administration in which a health-care provider, family member, or other observer watches an individual take each dose of a drug.
discordant: not having the same serostatus, for example, a couple in which one partner is HIV positive and the other is HIV negative.
disseminate: spread of a disease-causing organism throughout the body, potentially causing symptoms at multiple sites.
diuretic: an agent that increases the amount of urine excreted.
DNA: See deoxyribonucleic acid.
DNA vaccine: an experimental vaccine approach in which one or more genes coding for specific antigens are injected (via plasmids) directly into the body, thereby stimulating an immune response.
dopamine: a neurotransmitter (neural messenger) that is involved in numerous processes, including mood regulation.
dorsal: refers to the back.
dorsocervical fat pad (aka buffalo hump): an accumulation of fat on the upper back at the base of the neck.
dosage (aka dose): the amount of a substance (e.g., a drug) given at one time.
dose escalation: the gradual increase of drug dosages to determine the amount that delivers the best balance of high efficacy and acceptable side effects.
dose-ranging trial: a clinical trial in which different doses of a drug are compared to determine which has the best balance of high efficacy and low toxicity.
double-blind: See blinding.
downregulation: reduction of the rate at which a process occurs, a substance is released, etc.
drug cycling: a treatment method in which different drugs are alternated on a predetermined time schedule.
drug interaction: a positive or negative effect on the action of a drug when other drugs, food, etc., are taken simultaneously. Certain drugs and foods can affect the metabolism of other drugs, leading to increased or decreased levels; drug interactions may result in increased or decreased effectiveness and/or toxicity.
drug resistance: See resistance.
DSM-IV: the current (4th) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a compendium of psychiatric and mental conditions published by the American Psychiatric Association.
dys-: prefix meaning abnormal, difficult, or painful.
dysfunction: lack or loss of normal function.
dysmenorrhea: difficult or painful menstruation (e.g., cramps).
dyspepsia: indigestion; upset stomach.
dysphagia: difficult or painful swallowing.
dysplasia (adjective dysplastic): abnormal development or growth of cells; precancerous tissue changes.
dyspnea: difficult, labored breathing; shortness of breath.
dysregulation: interruption of or interference with normal processes.
dysthymia: chronic, mild depression; prolonged depressed mood lasting two years or longer.
dystrophy (adjective dystrophic): progressive degenerative tissue changes, often associated with muscle wasting.
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