Glossary

Antiretroviral Therapy (ART): As related to HIV, treatment with antiretroviral drugs to suppress disease progression. Antiretroviral treatment can refer to HAART (and frequently does), but it can also include any treatment that involves antiretrovirals, such as single-dose nevirapine.

Antiretroviral Drugs (ARVs): A substance that kills or suppresses a retrovirus, such as HIV. Antiretrovirals inhibit the replication of HIV, delaying immune deterioration and improving survival and quality of life.¹

Correct and Consistent Use of Condoms: The use of condoms from start to finish with each act of sexual intercourse. Correct condom use should include using a new condom for each act of intercourse; putting on the condom as soon as erection occurs and before any sexual contact (vaginal, anal or oral); and withdrawing from the partner immediately after ejaculation.²

Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART): The term given to treatment regimens to aggressively suppress viral replication and slow the progress of HIV disease. The usual regimen includes at least three drugs from at least two different drug classes.³

HIV Discordance: Where one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative.

Nevirapine: The antiretroviral drug used to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT): Programs designed to prevent the transmission of HIV from a mother to her infant during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or through breastfeeding.

Seroconversion: The process by which a newly infected person develops antibodies to HIV, which are then detectable by an HIV test. Seroconversion may occur anywhere from days to weeks or months following HIV infection.⁴ Serostatus: As related to HIV infection, the presence or absence of antibodies in the blood.⁵

Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT): The process by which an individual undergoes counseling to enable him/her to make an informed choice about being tested for HIV infection. According to UNAIDS, voluntary counseling and testing should be conducted in an institutional environment which has adopted the ‘Three Cs’: confidentiality, informed consent, and counseling.⁶