Phase III Clinical Trials - drugs are tested on people, under Federal Drug Administration approval, to determine if a drug is safe, effective, at what doses it works best, and what side effects it causes. P. carinii grows rapidly in the lungs of persons with AIDS and is a frequent AIDS-related cause of death. Some antiviral drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of HIV infection work by interfering with this stage of the viral life cycle. Seropositive - as related to HIV infection, testing positive for the presence of HIV, but not necessarily showing outward signs of the infection. Serum contains no blood cells, platelets, or fibrinogen.
Herpes zoster consists of very painful blisters on the skin that follow nerve pathways.
Thrush - sore patches in the mouth caused by the fungus Candida albicans . Thrush is one of the most frequent early symptoms or signs of an immune disorder. The fungus commonly lives in the mouth, but only causes problems when the body's resistance is reduced either by antibiotics that have reduced the number of competitive organisms in the mouth, or by an immune deficiency such as HIV disease. Toxoplasmosis - an infection that is caused by the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii . The parasite is carried by cats, birds, and other animals, and is found in soil contaminated by cat feces and in meat, particularly pork.