Also referred to as rescue therapy. A treatment effort for people whose antiretroviral regimens have failed at least two times and who have had extensive prior exposure to antiretroviral agents. Some use these terms when any patient's HAART regimen has failed. In this case, failed refers to the inability of a drug to achieve and sustain low viral loads.

A malignant (cancerous) tumour of the skin and soft tissue.

A chronic inflammatory disease of the skin of unknown cause or origin, characterized by moderate erythema; dry, moist, or greasy scaling; and yellow crusted patches on various areas, including the mid-parts of the face, ears, supraorbital regions (above the orbit of the eye), umbilicus (the navel), genitalia, and especially the scalp.

A therapy that prevents reoccurrence of an infection that has been brought under control.

The probability that a diagnostic method detects infection in an infected individual.

The presence of harmful micro-organisms or associated toxins in the blood.

The time at which an individual begins to produce antibodies to a particular pathogen, detectable on antibody tests.

When people develop antibodies to HIV, they seroconvert from antibody-negative to antibody-positive. It may take from as little as 1 week to several months or more after infection with HIV for antibodies to the virus to develop. After antibodies to HIV appear in the blood, a person should test positive on antibody tests.

Results of a blood test for specific antibodies.

The clear, thin, and sticky fluid portion of the blood that remains after coagulation (clotting). Serum contains no blood cells, platelets, or fibrinogen.

Also called venereal disease (VD) (an older public health term) or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Sexually transmitted infections are spread by the transfer of organisms from person to person during sexual contact. In addition to the "traditional" STIs (syphilis and gonorrhea), the spectrum of STIs now includes HIV infection, which causes AIDS; Chlamydia trachomatis infections; human papilloma virus (HPV) infection; genital herpes; chancroid; genital mycoplasmas; hepatitis B; trichomoniasis; enteric infections; and ectoparasitic diseases (i.e., diseases caused by organisms that live on the outside of the host's body). The complexity and scope of STIs have increased dramatically since the 1980s; more than 20 micro-organisms and syndromes are now recognized as belonging in this category.

These infections have been shown to increase the risk of HIV transmission, and improvements in the treatment of these infections are therefore important in the prevention of HIV.

The varicella virus causes chicken pox in children and may reappear in adults as herpes zoster. Also called shingles, herpes zoster consists of very painful blisters on the skin that follow nerve pathways.

Genetically engineered hybrid virus having an HIV envelope and an SIV core.

The actions or effects of a drug (or vaccine) other than those desired. The term usually refers to undesired or negative effects, such as headache, skin irritation, or liver damage. Experimental drugs must be evaluated for both immediate and long-term side effects.

An HIV-like virus that infects monkeys, chimpanzees, and other non-human primates.

The probability that a diagnostic method produces a negative result in an individual who does not have the infection of interest. The false positive rate is one minus the specificity.

An HIV/AIDS model used by UNAIDS in deriving its estimates of the global distribution of HIV. The model has a number of components, which can be used to assess, for example, the demographic impact of HIV/AIDS and the potential impact of various prevention and treatment strategies.

Treatment regimen or medical management based on state-of-the-art patient care.

Type of bacteria that may cause various types of infections.

A severe and sometimes fatal form of erythema multiforme that is characterized by severe skin manifestations; conjunctivitis (eye inflammation), which often results in blindness; Vincent's angina (trench mouth); and ulceration of the genitals and anus.

Subgroup of a species (also called taxon).

(T8, CD8) Subset of T cells that halts antibody production and other immune responses.

Vulnerable or predisposed to a disease or infection.

Any perceptible, subjective change in the body or its functions that indicates disease or phases of disease, as reported by the patient.

A group of symptoms as reported by the patient and signs as detected in an examination that together are characteristic of a specific condition.

An infectious, chronic sexually transmitted infection, characterized by lesions that may involve any organ or tissue.