Glossary of HIV/AIDS Related Terms
(Starting with "H")
By
AIDSinfo,
Glossary of HIV/AIDS Related Terms, 5th Edition, AIDSinfo,
October 2005
ContactUs[at]aidsinfo.nih.gov
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov
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HAART
See: Highly Active
Antiretroviral Therapy
HBV
See: Hepatitis B
Virus
HCFA
See: Health Care
Financing Administration
HCV
See: Hepatitis C
Virus
HELLP Syndrome
A term that stands for Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzyme
levels, and a Low Platelet count. This is a rare but
serious complication that can develop in the third trimester
of pregnancy. Symptoms may include liver, blood pressure,
and bleeding problems that can harm both the mother
and the baby. Pregnant women taking NRTIs for HIV infection
are at an increased risk for developing HELLP syndrome.
HGH
See: Human Growth
Hormone
HIV
See: Human Immunodeficiency
Virus
HIV Prevention Trials Network
(HPTN)
A worldwide clinical trials network established by the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop and evaluate
the safety and efficacy of non-vaccine HIV prevention
methods designed to prevent the transmission of HIV.
HIV Vaccine
Trials Network (HVTN)
An international group of scientists and educators that
was formed in 1999 by the Division of AIDS of the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
The main goal of HVTN is to find a safe and effective
preventive HIV vaccine. HVTN staff and volunteers around
the world are also involved in helping community members
understand the general science of HIV/AIDS vaccines,
as well as research methods and clinical trials processes.
See Also: Preventive
HIV Vaccine
HIV-1
The HIV type responsible for the majority of HIV infections
worldwide.
See Also: Human
Immunodeficiency Virus
HIV-2
HIV-2
A virus closely related to HIV-1 that also causes immune
suppression and AIDS. Although the two viruses are very
similar, immunodeficiency seems to develop more slowly
and to be milder in people infected with HIV-2. The
majority of HIV-2 cases have been found in West Africa.
Not all drugs used to treat HIV-1 infection are effective
against HIV-2.
See Also: Human
Immunodeficiency Virus
HIV-1
HPTN
See: HIV Prevention
Trials Network
HPV
See: Human
Papillomavirus
HRSA
See: Health
Resources and Services Administration
HSV-1
See: Herpes
Simplex Virus 1
HSV-2
See: Herpes
Simplex Virus 2
HTLV-I
See: Human
T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type I
HVTN
See: HIV
Vaccine Trials Network
Half-Life
The time period in which the concentration of a drug
falls to half its original concentration.
Health Care Financing Administration
(HCFA)
See: Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
agency that directs national health programs aimed at
improving the health of Americans by assuring quality
health care to underserved, vulnerable, and special-needs
populations. Among other functions, HRSA administers
the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency
(CARE) Act and the AIDS Education and Training Centers
(AETCs) to provide treatment and services for those
affected by HIV/AIDS.
See Also: AIDS
Education and Training Centers
Ryan
White Care Act
Helper T Cells
See: CD4
Cell
Hematocrit
A laboratory measurement that determines the percentage
of red blood cells in a sample of blood. In women, red
blood cells are normally 37 to 47 percent of the blood.
In men, red blood cells are normally 40 to 54 percent
of the blood.
Hematotoxic
Toxic or destructive to the blood or bone marrow.
Hemoglobin
A protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen
from the lungs to the tissues of the body.
Hemolysis
Rupture of red blood cell membranes, causing a release
of hemoglobin.
See Also: Hemoglobin
Hemophilia
A hereditary blood defect that occurs almost exclusively
in males and is characterized by delayed clotting of
the blood. This leads to difficulty in controlling bleeding,
even after minor injuries.
Hepatic
Pertaining to the liver.
Hepatic Necrosis
Death of liver cells.
See Also: Hepatotoxicity
Hepatic Steatosis
Accumulation of too much fat inside liver cells. Also
known as "fatty liver."
See Also: Lactic
Acidosis
Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver. This condition can lead to
liver damage and liver cancer.
See Also: Hepatitis
B Virus
Hepatitis C Virus
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
The virus that causes hepatitis B, an inflammation of
the liver that can lead to liver damage and liver cancer.
HBV is spread through contact with the blood of an infected
person, through sexual intercourse, or from mother to
child during childbirth. A vaccine is available to prevent
infection with this virus, and hepatitis B can be treated
with several drugs.
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
The virus that causes hepatitis C, an inflammation of
the liver that can lead to liver damage and liver cancer.
HCV is primarily spread through contact with the blood
of an infected person. There is no vaccine for HCV,
and the only current treatment for hepatitis C is a
combination of the drugs peginterferon and ribavirin.
Hepatomegaly
Enlargement of the liver.
Hepatotoxicity
A general term for liver damage. Often caused by medications,
including those used to treat HIV infection. Symptoms
of hepatotoxicity include nausea, vomiting, abdominal
pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, unusual tiredness
or weakness, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes),
and unusual swelling or weight gain. Laboratory testing
may show increased levels of liver enzymes in the blood.
See Also: Liver
Function Tests
Herpes Simplex
Virus 1 (HSV-1)
A virus that causes cold sores or fever blisters on
the mouth or around the eyes, and can be transmitted
to the genital region. The virus can become latent (inactive)
and symptoms disappear. Stress, trauma, other infections,
or suppression of the immune system can reactivate the
latent virus and symptoms can return.
See Also: Herpesviruses
Herpes Simplex
Virus 2 (HSV-2)
A virus that causes painful sores around the anus or
genitals. The virus can become latent (inactive) and
symptoms then disappear until the virus is reactivated.
HSV-2 may be transmitted either sexually or from an
infected mother to her infant during birth.
Herpes Zoster
See: Varicella
Zoster Virus
Herpesviruses
A family of viruses containing several individual members,
including herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and
-2), cytomegalovirus (CMV), varicella zoster virus (VZV),
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus
(KSHV or HHV-8). Each of these viruses can cause disease
in humans.
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
(HAART)
The name given to treatment regimens that aggressively
suppress HIV replication and progression of HIV disease.
The usual HAART regimen combines three or more anti-HIV
drugs.
Histoplasmosis
A lung disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum.
Symptoms are similar to those of influenza. People with
severely damaged immune systems, such as those with
AIDS, are vulnerable to a very serious form of the disease
called progressive disseminated histoplasmosis. This
form of histoplasmosis typically lasts a long time and
involves other organs besides the lungs. Histoplasmosis
is considered an AIDS-defining condition in people with
HIV.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma
A type of cancer that affects certain white blood cells.
Symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, night
sweats, weight loss, and itching. This type of cancer
most commonly affects people ages 15 to 40, people over
55, and people who are HIV infected. It is also known
as Hodgkin's disease.
See Also: Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin's
Lymphoma
Horizontal Transmission
A term used to describe transmission of a disease from
one individual to another, except from parent to offspring.
For example, HIV can be spread horizontally through
sexual contact or exposure to infected blood. In contrast,
spread of disease from parent to offspring is called
vertical transmission.
See Also: Vertical
Transmission
Hormone
A chemical produced in one part of the body and passed
through the blood to another part of the body to regulate
its structure or function. HIV infection and AIDS can
affect the production of hormones, causing imbalances
in such hormones as estrogen and testosterone.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
A protein produced in the pituitary gland that stimulates
the liver to produce somatomedins, substances that stimulate
growth of bone and muscle. A laboratory-made version
of HGH, called serostim, has been approved by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for AIDS
wasting syndrome.
See Also: Wasting
Syndrome
Human Herpesviruses
See: Herpesviruses
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV)
The virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
(AIDS). HIV is in the retrovirus family, and two types
have been identified: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible
for most HIV infections throughout the world, while
HIV-2 is found primarily in West Africa.
See Also: Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Retrovirus
Human Leukocyte Antigen
Also known as major histocompatibility complex (MHC).
Proteins found on the outside of almost every cell in
the body that play an important role in controlling
the immune system. The type of HLA proteins a person
inherits from his or her parents is important in identifying
good "matches" for tissue grafts and organ
transplants. Some HLA types are also associated with
either a faster or slower progression of HIV disease.
Human Papillomavirus
(HPV)
Viruses that cause various warts, including plantar
and genital warts. Some strains of HPV can also cause
cervical cancer.
See Also: Cervical
Cancer
Genital
Warts
Human T-Cell Lymphotropic
Virus Type I (HTLV-I)
A virus in the same family (retrovirus) as HIV. In rare
cases, HTLV-1 can cause adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma,
a rare and aggressive cancer of the blood. People infected
with HTLV-1 may also develop myelopathy, a disease of
the spinal cord.
See Also: Retrovirus
Humoral Immunity
Term used to describe the body's antibody-based immune
response, as opposed to its cell-based immune response
(cellular immunity). Immune cells called B cells produce
antibodies against foreign invaders.
See Also: Antibody
Cell-Mediated
Immunity
B
Lymphocytes
Hyperadiposity
See: Lipohypertrophy
Hypergammaglobulinemia
Higher than normal amounts of gamma globulins (antibodies)
in the blood.
See Also: Antibody
Hyperglycemia
Higher than normal glucose (sugar) levels in the blood.
See Also: Diabetes
Hyperlipidemia
Elevated concentration of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides,
or both) in the blood. Hyperlipidemia increases the
risk of serious heart diseases. In HIV-infected inidividuals,
hyperlipidemia may occur as a side effect of PI treatment.
Hyperplasia
An abnormal increase in the number of cells in a tissue
or an organ.
Hypogammaglobulinemia
A deficiency of gamma globulins (antibodies) in the
blood. This condition may occur in late stages of HIV
disease when the immune system has been severely damaged.
See Also: Antibody
Hypogonadism
Inadequate activity of the ovaries or testes. This can
result in abnormally low levels of gonadal hormones
(androgens and estrogens) and problems with sperm or
egg production. Hypogonadism may occur in men and women
with HIV disease.
Hypoxia
A condition in which not enough oxygen reaches the tissues
of the body.
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