CD4 (CD4+). The type of lymphocyte (T cell) that HIV prefers to target. Destruction of CD4+ lymphocytes is the major cause of the immunodeficiency observed in AIDS, and decreasing CD4+ lymphocyte levels appear to be the best indicator for developing opportunistic infections.
CDSC. Communicable disease surveillance center
CHAN. Christian Health Association of Nigeria
CHC. Community health clinic
CMD. Chief medical director
CMO. Chief medical officer
contagious. Liable to be transmitted by bodily or direct contact (see also infectious)
CPD. Continuing professional development
CSW. Commercial sex worker
CT. Chlamydia trachomatis
DFID. Department for International Development ( UK)
DHS. Department of hospital services
DOTS. Directly observed treatment short course (for tuberculosis)
EC. European Commission
EIA. Enzyme immuno-assay
ELISA test. (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay). A laboratory test used to detect the presence of antibodies in the serum. ELISA is used for first-line screening for HIV antibodies; a positive result indicates that antibodies have been detected. The test is sensitive but not specific, and a positive ELISA is typically confirmed using a Western blot assay.
endemic. Where an infection is established in a country or group and where transmission is continuing but prevalence may not be rapidly increasing.
EOP. Equipment operating procedure
epidemic. Where high levels of new infection and high transmission occur.
HIV positive. A person who tests positive for the presence of HIV antibodies. In adults this is synonymous with being infected with HIV, but in infants, the antibodies may be maternal in origin and have crossed to the child prior to birth. Maternal antibodies may persist in a child for up to 18 months.
HIV. Human Immunodeficiency Virus; the virus that causes the infection.
HPD. Health and population division
HPFM. Health and population field manager
HRBG. High risk behavior group
HSV. Herpes simplex virus
IBMS. Institute of Biomedical Science
IDU. Injecting drug user
IEC. Information, education and communication
IMLST. Institute of Medical Laboratory Science & Technology
IMNA. Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria
incidence. The number of new cases (e.g., of a disease) occurring in a given population over a certain period of time.
infectious. Liable to be transmitted by air or water (see also contagious).
NAFDAC. National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control
NASCP. National AIDS and STD Control Program
NBTS. National Blood Transfusion Service
NG. Neisseria gonorrhoea
NGO. Nongovernmental organization
NPHCDA. National Primary Health Care Development Agency
NRL. National Reference Laboratory
opportunistic infection (OI). Illnesses caused by various organisms, some of which usually do not cause disease in persons with normal immune systems. Persons living with advanced HIV infection suffer opportunistic infections of the lungs, brain, eyes, and other organs. Opportunistic infections common in persons diagnosed with AIDS include Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia; Kaposi's Sarcoma; cryptosporidiosis; histoplasmosis; other parasitic, viral, and fungal infections; and some types of cancers.
palliative care. Treatment that provides symptomatic relief, but not a cure, to support patients and their families who are living with life-ending illness.
prevalence. A measure of the proportion of people in a population affected with a particular disease at a given time.
PSI. Population Services International
PTF. Petroleum Trust Fund
PWA. People with AIDS
QA. Quality assurance
QC. Quality control
RPR. Rapid plasma reagin (syphilis test)
RTD. Rapid test device (quick and simple one-off test for HIV)
SAPC. State AIDS program coordinator
sensitivity. The chance that an HIV test result will be positive when HIV antibodies are present, i.e. if test A is 99.9% sensitive, it will identify 999 of 1000 truly HIV-infected individuals and give no more than 1 false negative. Normally HIV test kits should have >99.9% sensitivity.
sentinel surveillance. Study of disease rates in a specific population subgroup in order to estimate trends in the larger population.
seroconversion. 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. See Window Period.
serodiscordant couple. A couple in which both partners do not have the same serostatus, i.e. one partner is HIV positive and the other is HIV negative.
seroprevalence. As related to HIV infection, the proportion of persons who have serologic (i.e., pertaining to serum) evidence of HIV infection at any given time.
serostatus. Results of a blood test for specific antibodies.
serum. The fluid, non-cellular portion of blood that remains after coagulation (lymphatic fluid).
sharps. Any object which may penetrate the skin (needles, scalpels, lancets, broken glass).
SOP. Standard operating procedure
specificity. The chance that an HIV test result will be negative if HIV antibodies are not present, i.e. if test B is 99.5% specific, in a panel of 1000 specimens of which 500 are truly HIV-positive, it will identify 498 as HIV-negative persons and give no more than 5 false positives. Normally HIV test kits should have >98% specificity.
STD. Sexually transmitted disease
sterilization. The complete destruction of all micro-organisms
STI. Sexually transmitted infection
STW. Sex trade worker
syndrome. A group of symptoms typical of a distinctive disease which frequently occur together and so are labeled collectively
syndromic management. Treating a patient for all likely causes of a symptom or sign of an STI, using an algorithm rather than results from a laboratory-based diagnosis.
VDRL. Venereal disease research laboratory (syphilis test)
viral load. The amount of HIV in the circulating blood. Viral load and CD4 counts are both predictors of the risk of HIV disease progression. Viral load testing for HIV infection is also being used to determine when to initiate and/or change therapy.
WER. Weekly Epidemiological Record (WHO publication)
western blot test. A laboratory test for specific antibodies (e.g., to HIV). The Western blot assay is more specific than the ELISA, and is used as a confirmatory test if an ELISA is positive.
WHO/GPA. World Health Organization/Global Program on AIDS
WHO. World Health Organization
window period. The period of time between when a person is first infected with HIV and when they develop antibodies, usually between two weeks and three months, and sometimes up to six months. During the window period standard antibody tests would test negative, but the person is still infectious to others
