Page 110 - 78 glossary of hivaids-related terms_opt

Platelet
A type of cell in the blood responsible for clotting. When blood
vessels are damaged, platelets help to form a plug that prevents the
loss of blood.

PLWA
See: People Living With AIDS

PML
See: Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy

PMTCT
See: Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission

Pneumocystis jiroveci
A type of fungus that can cause severe pneumonia in humans,
particularly in people with weakened immune systems, and
especially in people with AIDS. P. jiroveci is related to P. carinii, the
species for which PCP (originally, P. carinii pneumonia) is named.
See Also: Pneumocystis jiroveci Pneumonia (PCP)

Pneumocystis jiroveci Pneumonia (PCP)
P A lung infection caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci, a fungus related
to P. carinii (the species for which PCP was originally named). PCP
occurs in people with weakened immune systems, such as people
with HIV. It is considered an AIDS-defining condition in HIV-infected
individuals. The first signs of infection are difficulty breathing, high
fever, and dry cough.
See Also: Pneumocystis jiroveci

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
A laboratory technique that rapidly replicates tiny amounts of
DNA so that it can be detected and measured.
See Also: Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction
(RT-PCR)

108 HIV/AIDS Glossary