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Back to AIDS Prevention Home
AIDS Glossary
- o.d.
- pharmaceutical abbreviation, right eye (oculo dextro)
- o.s.
- pharmaceutical abbreviation, left eye (oculo sinistro)
- o.u.
- pharmaceutical abbreviation, each eye (oculo utro)
- observational study
- a study in which no experimental drug is administered, but the patient's symptoms, laboratory values and response to treatment are observed during the course of normal medical management.
- obstetrics
- the medical specialty concerned with pregnancy and birth.
- occult
- hidden or concealed (e.g., an occult cause of disease).
- occupational safety and health administration (osh
- the U.S. federal agency which develops policies and handles enforcement around safety in the workplace.
- octoxynol
- a surfactant chemical used as a spermicide and microbicide.
- ocular
- relating to the eye.
- odds ratio (or)
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- a statistical measure of the likelihood of developing a disease or condition if exposed to a certain factor or pathogen.
- odynophagia
- painful swallowing.
- off label use
- a drug prescribed for a condition other than the approved conditions.
- office of aids research (oar)
- the U.S. federal agency responsible for coordinating AIDS research done by various federal departments, institutes and agencies.
- off-label
- use of an FDA-approved drug for an indication other than that for which the drug was approved.
- ohl
- see oral hairy leukoplakia.
- oi
- abbreviation, opportunistic infection
- oligo- (prefix)
- few.
- oligodendrocyte
- a type of brain cell that produces myelin, a protective covering necessary for proper neural transmission.
- oligomenorrhea
- sparse menstrual bleeding.
- oligonucleotide
- a sequence of nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA.
- oncogen
- an agent (e.g., virus. toxin) that is able to cause neoplastic cell growth, or cancer.
- oncogene
- a gene (e.g., p53) that facilitates the development of cancer by regulating cell growth, either by actively "turning on" abnormal cell growth or failing to "turn off" normal cell growth.
- oncogenesis
- the development and growth of a tumor.
- oncology
- the study and treatment of cancer.
- onychomycosis
- a fungal infection that causes the toenails and/or fingernails to thicken, discolor and split. Onychomycosis is often one of the earliest manifestations of HIV disease progression.
- oocyst
- the earliest stage of the life cycle of a parasitic protozoan (e.g., cryptosporidium) in which it is enclosed in a hard-shelled capsule. Oocysts are dormant (non-growing) but may still be infectious.
- oophorectomy
- surgical removal of the ovaries.
- oophoritis
- inflammation of the ovaries, a possible manifestation of pelvic inflammatory disease.
- open label trial
- a clinical trial of a drug where researchers and patients know which drug is being administered. (also see double-blind, and clinical trial.)
- open trial
- a clinical trial of a drug where researchers and patients know which drug is being administered.
- open-label
- refers to a drug trial which is not randomized and not blinded; both participants and investigators know what drug is being tested and what dose is being used.
- ophthalmic
- pertaining to the eye.
- ophthalmology
- the medical specialty relating to the treatment of diseases and disorders of the eye.
- opiate
- see opioid.
- opiate antagonist
- an agent (e.g., naltrexone) that binds to the body's opiate receptors thereby blocking the activity of opioid drugs (e.g., heroin) and endorphins.
- opiate receptor
- molecular structures on the cells that respond to or are influenced by opiate and endorphin molecules. Opiate receptors are found on certain types of cells in the brain, lungs, pancreas, endocrine glands and other organs and tissues.
- opioid (opiate, narcotic)
- a class of drugs (e.g., heroin, codeine, methadone) that are derived from the opium poppy plant, contain opium, or are produced synthetically and have opium-like effects. Opioid drugs relieve pain, dull the senses and induce sleep.
- opportunistic infection
- a disease or condition that attacks because of a weakened immune system. Commonly abbreviated OI. One good list of OIs is in the U.S. government's definition of AIDS.
- opportunistic infection (oi)
- an illness caused by a microorganism that usually does not cause disease in persons with healthy immune systems, but which may cause serious illness when the immune system is suppressed. Common OI in HIV positive people include Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
- oral
- relating to the mouth; taken by mouth.
- oral candidiasis (thrush)
- a fungal infection of the mouth, usually caused by Candida albicans, which typically appears as white or red patches on the oral mucosa, tongue, palate or back of the throat. Types include pseudomembranous candidiasis (thrush) characterized by removable white plaques, acute atrophic candidiasis and chronic atrophic candidiasis (angular cheilitis).
- oral hairy leukoplakia
- a condition believed to be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus characterized by white, raised, usually painless lesions on the sides of the tongue and/or elsewhere in the mouth.
- organelle
- one of the specialized small organs of a living cell (e.g., mitochondria).
- organic
- relating to an organ in the body or relating to the processes of living cells and organisms.
- organomegaly
- enlargement or swelling of an organ.
- oropharynx (adjective oropharyngeal)
- the central portion of the pharynx (throat), between the soft palate and the epiglottis.
- orphan drug act
- a law designed to facilitate the development of drugs to treat rare disorders by providing financial incentives to drug companies.
- orthopedics
- the branch of medicine that deals with preserving and restoring function of the musculoskeletal system using physical or surgical methods.
- os
- the opening of the uterine cervix into the vagina.
- osteomyelitis
- an inflammation of the bone and/or bone marrow.
- osteoporosis
- atrophy of the bone tissue; loss of calcium from the bones. Osteoporosis is influenced by hormonal levels and may be ameliorated by adequate calcium intake.
- otc
- see over-the-counter.
- otitis media
- inflammation of the middle ear.
- otolaryngology (ent)
- the medical specialty concerned with the ears, nose and throat.
- outbreak
- a recurrence of a latent infection (e.g., a herpes simplex virus outbreak). Also refers to the widespread occurrence of a disease within a population.
- outpatient
- a patient who is treated outside a hospital or other medical facility.
- ovary
- one of the 2 female gonads located within the abdomen on either side of the uterus. The ovaries are the site of egg (ova) storage and maturation.
- over-the-counter (otc)
- drugs that are available without a prescription.
- oviduct
- see fallopian tube.
- ovum (plural ova)
- an egg.
- oxandrolone
- an anabolic (mass-building) steroid that may lack some of the hormonal side effects of testosterone. The drug is under study as a therapy for HIV wasting syndrome.
- oxidation
- a chemical reaction in which another substance combines with oxygen by giving up an electron. Oxidants (pro-oxidants) promote this reaction, while antioxidants inhibit it. Oxidation is the process by which carbohydrates, fats and proteins from food are broken down to provide usable energy for the body. See also oxidative stress.
- oxidative stress
- increased levels of free radicals and other oxidation-promoting molecules associated with disease, immune response and aging. When the production of pro-oxidants exceeds the cellular supply of antioxidants, harmful effects may result including cell membrane damage, cell death and damage to genetic material (DNA and RNA) resulting in mutations.
- oxygen (o2)
- a colorless, odorless gas that is essential to the normal function of all cells of the body.
- oxygenated blood
- blood that has passed through the lungs and exchanged its carbon dioxide for oxygen. Oxygenated blood is pumped from the left ventricle to the various organs and tissues of the body.
- ozone
- a reactive form of oxygen containing 3 atoms. Ozone is capable of killing many pathogens, and may be used as a germicide (e.g., in water treatment).
- ozonization
- the addition of ozone for disinfectant purposes.
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