an active drug is a drug that still works to reduce viral load. The virus is still sensitive to that drug.

amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. DNA codes for amino acids. Three nucleotides (segments of the genetic code) make one amino acid. Amino acids are critical to life, and have many functions in the way your body works.

a blood test taken before treatment is started to see if there is any resistance.

a blood test that indicates the strength of the immune system. The CD4 test is one of the most important indicators for deciding when to start HIV treatment.

a test result that is associated with an impact on clinical care. With resistance tests a lower CCO is the level below which a drug is still sensitive or active. This is often set at a 20% loss of activity (compared to wild-type HIV). An upper CCO is the level above which the drug is not considered active (ie resistant). This is often set at an 80% [..]

the word for the junction on genetic material (DNA or RNA) occupied by three nucleotides (or bases) to form an amino acid.

three or more HIV drugs taken together to treat HIV.

this refer to an additional mutation, usually in the context of the fitness of a virus. For example, the mutations that stop a drug from working, often stop the virus from reproducing as well. Additional mutations that return the virus to it’s former fitness are called compensatory mutations. They compensate for the reduced viral fitness.

when resistance to one drug causes resistance to other similar drugs.

an abbreviation for the scientific word for genes and genetic material. It is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid.