| AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) | An HIV infected individual is said to have AIDS when he/she has developed certain opportunistic infections (for example, pneumonia, tuberculosis, yeast infections, or other infections) or when their CD4+ cell count drops below 200.
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| Antibodies | Bodies in the bloodstream that react to overcome bacterial and other agents that attack the body.
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| CD4+ Helper Cells (T Helper Cells) | Cells that protects against infections and that instigates the body's immune response. HIV kills these cells so a high count usually means better health.
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| Chancre | A sore or lesion commonly associated with syphilis.
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| Chancroid | A bacterial infection resulting in sores or ulcers on the genitals; different from chancres associated with syphilis.
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| Chlamydia | A bacterial infection similar to gonorrhea that attacks the urinary tract and reproductive organs.
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| Gonorrhea | A bacterial infection of the mucous membranes including the eyes, throat, genitals, and other organs.
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| Genital Herpes | A viral infection that can attack any area of the body but often causes blisters on the genitals.
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| Genital Warts | Warts, caused by a virus, that grow in the genital/anal area (also called condyloma).
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| HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) | A virus that causes a breakdown of the immune system among humans, resulting in the inability of the body to fight infections. It is a precursor to AIDS.
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| Kaposi's Sarcoma | A type of cancer evidenced by purple sores (tumors) on the skin.
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| Opportunistic Infections | Infections by a microorganism that normally do not affect a healthy person, but may lead to disease in a person who's immune system has been impaired.
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| Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) | An infection of the urethra (urine passage) that can lead to infertility among women.
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| Pubic Crab Lice | Lice that attach themselves to the base of pubic hairs.
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| Serostatus | A blood test results indicating the presence of antibodies the immune system creates to fight disease. A seropositive status indicates that a person has antibodies to fight HIV and is HIV positive.
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| STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) | An infection for which a primary method of transmission is sexual activity.
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| Syphilis | An infection caused by a corkscrew-shaped bacteria that travels in the bloodstream and embeds itself in the mucous membranes of the body, including those of the sexual organs.
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| Viral Load | The level of virus (HIV) in the blood.
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