The following glossary lists key definitions for HIV, AIDS, reproductive health, medical conditions and pharmaceuticals (medications or drugs) related to HIV and AIDS.
There are 420 entries in this glossary.R
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Rape |
A type of SGBV where a person (usually a female) is forced to submit to sexual intercourse against her will. |
| Regimen |
To take prescribed medication in specific doses and at specified times. |
| Reiter's Syndrome |
A complication of untreated chlamydia. It consists of recurrent episodes of urethritis/cervicitis, arthritis, conjunctivitis, and skin rashes. |
| Remission |
The time during which a disease is inactive, but could still be present. |
| Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) |
Infections of the genital region that include STIs or other common infections of the genital area. See sexually transmitted infection. |
| Resistance |
The ability of a virus to resist the medication or drug designed to destroy or neutralize it, such as AZT and protease inhibitor medications. All ARVs have some resistance. However, HIV-positive individuals receiving treatment should continue taking them even when there is evidence of resistance because not every strain of HIV in a person's body is resistant. Combination therapy discourages resistance because it involves taking more than one type of medication. See drug resistance. |
| Resistance Testing |
The ability of a virus to resist the medication or drug designed to destroy or neutralize it, such as AZT and protease inhibitor medications. All ARVs have some resistance. However, HIV-positive individuals receiving treatment should continue taking them even when there is evidence of resistance because not every strain of HIV in a person's body is resistant. Combination therapy discourages resistance because it involves taking more than one type of medication. See drug resistance. |
| Retrovirus |
A type of virus (such as HIV) that carries its genetic material in the form of RNA rather than DNA. In most animals and plants, DNA is usually made into RNA, rather than the opposite where RNA is made into DNA; hence the term 'retro'. The reverse transcriptase enzyme in the virus causes this process. This is why anti-HIV medication is called antiretrovirals (ARVs). Also, see genetic material, DNA, RNA and reverse transcriptase. |
| Reverse Transcriptase |
HIV and other retroviruses produce this enzyme to enable them to copy and translate RNA into DNA, which in turn allows the virus to continue making more copies of itself. Also, see enzyme. |
| Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) |
HIV and other retroviruses carry RNA instead of the more common genetic material DNA. Also, see DNA. |
| RTI |
See reproductive tract infections. |
