An HIV and Treatment Acronymicon

APAP: Austin PrEP Access Project

AZT: Azidothymidine (or zidovudine), a medication used to delay or prevent development of AIDS in patients infected with HIV; used in antiretroviral therapy (ART)

CDC: Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based in Atlanta

FDA: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, issues approvals of human drug therapies

HAART: Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, currently provided via Truvada, a "combination therapy" medication which, when used with other medicines, can block progression of an HIV infection into AIDS

HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV positive means to be infected by HIV, which attacks the immune system, potentially causing acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and enabling (without treatment) life-threatening infections and cancers

MSM: Men who Sleep with Men, a neutral term for men who sleep with men who do not identify as gay, bisexual, or queer

PEP: Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, a medication taken immediately after potential exposure to HIV to prevent viral infection

PrEP: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, a medication taken daily in advance of and in order to prevent HIV infection

STI: Sexually Transmitted Infection