Page 14 - 78 glossary of hivaids-related terms_opt

A Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)
Treatment with drugs that inhibit the ability of retroviruses, such as
HIV, to multiply in the body. The antiretroviral therapy recommended
for HIV infection is referred to as highly active antiretroviral therapy
(HAART), which uses a combination of drugs to attack HIV at
different points in its life cycle.
See Also: Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART)
Retrovirus

Antisense Drug
A man-made segment of DNA or RNA that can lock onto a strand
of DNA or RNA from a virus or other micro-organism. This marks
the organism’s genetic instructions for destruction and prevents the
organism from making more copies of itself.
See Also: Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

Antiviral
A natural or man-made substance that can kill or stop the growth of
a virus.

APC
See: Antigen-Presenting Cell

Aphthous Ulcer
A painful shallow sore in the mouth. The sore is usually oval shaped,
with a yellow-white center surrounded by a narrow red ring.
Aphthous ulcers are 1/8- to 1/4-inch across and have no blisters.
They occur on the soft surfaces of the mouth, such as the inner
cheeks, inner lips, soft areas of the roof and floor of the mouth,
tongue, gums, and throat.

Apoptosis
The deliberate, programmed death of a cell. Apoptosis occurs as
a normal part of life and helps the body stay healthy. If cells are
damaged (for example, cancerous cells or cells infected with HIV),
the body orders those cells to die in order to contain the disease.

12 HIV/AIDS Glossary