HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the etiology, history, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of HIV, Syphilis, and Gonorrhea based on the lecture notes.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Illnesses that have a significant probability of transmission through human sexual behavior, IV drug use, or from an infected mother during childbirth and breastfeeding.

GRID

Stands for Gay-Related Immune Disease, the initial name used in 1981 before the term AIDS was established.

Pneumocystis (carinii) jirovecii

The organism responsible for cluster cases of pneumonia in young homosexual men in Los Angeles, which led to the description of AIDS in 1981.

HIV-1

The pandemic and aggressive type of HIV, isolated in 1983, which originated from chimpanzees.

HIV-2

A less pathogenic type of HIV mainly confined to West Africa, isolated in 1986, which originated from sooty mangabeys.

Retrovirus

A type of virus that can insert its RNA genome into the host cell via Reverse Transcription.

gp120 (glycoprotein 120)

An outer membrane subunit of HIV that binds specifically to the CD4 receptor.

gp41 (glycoprotein 41)

A transmembrane protein of HIV that mediates virus membrane fusion with the host cell.

Reverse Transcriptase

An HIV enzyme that converts HIV RNA into HIV DNA.

Integrase

An HIV enzyme released into the nucleus of a CD4 cell to integrate viral DNA into the host cell's DNA.

Protease

An enzyme that breaks long protein chains in the immature virus to form smaller proteins that combine into mature HIV.

Binding

Also called attachment, the first step of the HIV life cycle where HIV binds to receptors (gp120) on the surface of a CD4 cell.

CD4 Lymphocytes

Central regulatory effector cells of the immune system essential for preparing foreign antigens to be phagocytized by killer T cells.

Clinical Latency

The stage of HIV infection, also known as asymptomatic or chronic infection, where the virus is active but reproduces at very low levels.

Western Blot

The gold standard laboratory diagnosis for HIV that identifies purified target proteins according to molecular weight.

HAART

Highly active anti-retroviral therapy, consisting of a combination of 2 NRTI plus a protease inhibitor.

Treponema pallidum

A spirochete (spiral, motile bacteria) that causes Syphilis.

Hard chancre

A painless, solitary lesion with raised and well-defined borders appearing during the primary stage of Syphilis.

Condyloma

Moist, pale papules appearing in the anogenital region, axilla, and mouth during secondary Syphilis.

Gummatous syphilis

A manifestation of tertiary syphilis affecting the bones, skin, and subcutaneous tissue.

Necrotizing funisitis

Inflammation of the umbilical cord associated with congenital syphilis.

Hutchinson's triad

A set of signs for congenital syphilis in childhood: Interstitial keratitis, Hutchinson's teeth, and Eight nerve deafness.

Reagin

An antibody against cardiolipin detected during non-treponemal screening tests for Syphilis.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

A gram-negative cocci occurring in pairs and intracellularly, responsible for causing Gonorrhea.

Suppuration

The formation or discharge of pus, commonly seen as acute suppuration in the genitourinary tract during a Gonorrhea infection.

Salpingitis

The progression of a Gonorrhea infection to the uterine tubes in females.

Modified Thayer-Martin

A specific culture medium used for the laboratory diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.