HIV Dictionary

T-lymphocyte: A type of white blood cell that detects and fights foreign invaders of the body.

toxoplasmosis: Humans generally contract toxoplasmosis by touching their mouths with their hands after changing cat litter or by eating raw or undercooked meat, especially pork, lamb and venison. If one becomes infected with the parasites while pregnant, they may pass the infection to their baby. Once they’re infected, the parasites can spread to every organ in your body, including one’s heart, eyes and lungs. For many people with AIDS, toxoplasmosis leads to encephalitis, an infection of the brain. Signs and symptoms may include disorientation, seizures and difficulty walking or speaking.

tuberculosis (TB): In resource-poor nations, TB is the most common opportunistic infection associated with HIV and a leading cause of death among people living with AIDS. Millions of people are currently infected with both HIV and tuberculosis, and many experts consider the two diseases twin epidemics. That's because HIV/AIDS and TB have a deadly symbiotic relationship, in which each fuels the progress of the other. Having HIV makes you more susceptible to TB and far more likely to progress from dormant to active infection. At the same time, TB increases the rate at which the AIDS virus replicates. Tuberculosis most commonly affects the lungs (as pulmonary TB) but can also affect the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, the genitourinary system, bones, joints and even the skin.

viral hepatitis: Viral hepatitis is a viral infection of the liver. Signs and symptoms include yellowing of one’s skin and the whites of one’s eyes (jaundice), fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and diarrhea. There are several types of viral hepatitis, but the most common are hepatitis A, B and C. Hepatitis B and C can lead to persistent or chronic infection and put one at risk of long-term complications such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. If one is HIV-positive and also has hepatitis, they may be more likely to develop liver toxicity from their medications.