Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
AIDS -- Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
BCG -- Bacille Calmette-Guerin
Chemotherapy -- treatment with chemical drugs, e.g. anti-TB chemotherapy means treatment with anti-TB drugs.
Chronic case -- a TB case defined by the failure of the WHO re-treatment regimen given under direct observation by a health worker. A chronic case has received at least two courses of chemotherapy.
Counselling -- face-to-face communication in which one person (the counsellor) helps another (patient/client) to make decisions and act on them.
DOT -- directly observed treatmnent, or watching the patient take his/her medication to ensure medications are taken in the right combination and for the correct duration. DOT is one of five organizational components of the TB treatment strategy known by the brand name DOTS.
DOTS -- the brand name given to the WHO-recommended TB treatment strategy that combines five elements: political commitment, systems for diagnostic smear microscopy, standardized treatment regimen with direct observation of treatment for at least the first two months, a regular drug supply, and programme supervision and evaluation.
Drug-resistant tuberculosis -- a case of TB, usually pulmonary, excreting bacilli that are resistant to one or more anti-TB drugs.
GTB -- Global Tuberculosis Programme
Health sector reform -- changes implemented to health services to strengthen primary health care and improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness of service delivery, usually driven by economic targets for reform rather than by health system priorities and outcomes.
HIV -- human immunodeficiency virus
IUATLD -- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
MDR-TB -- multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, or TB bacilli resistant to at least the drugs isoniazid and rifampicin. MDR is the most severe form of bacterial resistance today.
NTP -- National Tuberculosis Programme
PHC -- primary health care
Preventive therapy -- treatment aimed at preventing disease, e.g. isoniazid for the prevention of TB in some circumstances.
Regimen -- a drug, or several drugs, given in certain doses for a stated duration.
Relapse -- disease starting again after a patient was declared cured.
Social mobilization -- the process of bringing together all feasible and practical inter-sectoral allies to raise awareness and demand for a particular programme, to assist in the delivery of resources and services, and to strengthen community participation for sustainability and self-reliance.
Sputum smear microscopy -- examination of a person's sputum (spit) with a microscope to determine if TB bacilli are present
TB -- tuberculosis
UNAIDS -- The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
WHO -- World Health Organization
