Partner Services Glossary

A

Acute

Characterized by sharpness or severity.
<acute pain> <an acute infection>
Having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course.
<an acute disease> <an acute inflammation>
Lasting a short time.
<acute experiments>

Adnexa

[ad-NEK-suh] Connective tissue that connect the uterus and fallopian tubes to surrounding parts of the abdomen, helping to hold it in place.

AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

Provides HIV/AIDS related prescription drugs to uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV/AIDS. ADAP funds are authorized under the Ryan White CARE act.

Agar

A complex gelatinous carbohydrate derived from seaweed that is used as a thickening agent for culture media.

Anergy

A lack of reaction by the body's defense mechanisms to foreign substances.

Anorectal infection

Infection in the anus and/or rectum.

Antibiotic resistance

The ability of bacteria to not be destroyed by antibiotics; there are many ways bacteria have to resist the ability of antibiotics to kill them.

Antibody

A protein found in the blood that is produced in response to foreign substances (e.g. bacteria or viruses) invading the body. Antibodies protect the body from disease by binding to these organisms and destroying them.

Antigens

Foreign substances (e.g. bacteria or viruses) in the body that are capable of causing disease. The presence of antigens in the body triggers an immune response, usually the production of antibodies.

Antiretroviral therapy

Medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV. When several such drugs, typically three or four, are taken in combination, the approach is known as Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, or HAART.

Associate

A person named by another person who is not infected with the disease in question, as someone who might benefit from counseling, examination, or testing for HIV or other STDs. Typically, associates are persons named by non-infected partners of index patients, but they also might be named by social contacts or other associates.

Associates might include persons with symptoms suggestive of disease, partners of other persons known to be infected, or others who might benefit from examination.

Auto-inoculation

A secondary infection originating from a site at which infection is already present in the body.

B

B cells: Any of the lymphocytes that have antigen-binding antibody molecules on the surface, that comprise the antibody-secreting plasma cells when mature, and that in mammals differentiate in the bone marrow. Also called B lymphocyte. Source: Merriam-Webster/Medical Dictionary
Bacteremia: [ad-NEK-suh] Connective tissue that connect the uterus and fallopian tubes to surrounding parts of the abdomen, helping to hold it in place.
Bacteria (plural: Bacterium): A large domain of single-celled, prokaryote microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals.
Bacterial vaginosis: [vaj-eh-no-sis] Vaginitis that is marked by a grayish vaginal discharge usually of foul odor and that is associated with the presence of a bacterium especially of the genus Gardnerella (G. vaginalis synonym Haemophilus vaginalis)—abbreviation BV; called also nonspecific vaginitis.
Bilateral symmetry: Pertaining to both sides of the body. For example, if secondary syphilis skin lesions occur, they are on "both sides" of the trunk of the body, or both feet, or both hands.
Bubo: [byoo-boh] The inflammatory swelling of a lymph node, particularly in the groin.

C

Candidiasis: [kan-di-DIE-ah-sis] A common fungal infection caused by yeast.
Cardiolipin: Lipoproteins that are part of the cell wall of T. pallidum.
Case management: A systematic approach to disease intervention that provides partner services providers with the structure necessary to manage a case of disease.
CBO: Community-based organization
CDC Disease Picture Cards: Cards that depict disease-specific symptoms.
Cell-mediated immunity: The immunity system that involves T cells.
Cervical ectopy: [SUR-vi-kuhl EC-toe-pee] Exposure of the cervix. Present in 60 to 80 percent of teenage women, but decreases in women in their 30s and 40s.
Cervicitis: [sur-vi-SIE-tis] Inflammation of the cervix.
Cervix: [SUR-viks] The narrow neck of the uterus, which extends into the vagina.
Chancre: A syphilitic sore.
Chancroid: A venereal disease caused by a hemophilic bacterium of the genus Haemophilus (H. ducreyi) and characterized by chancres that differ from those of syphilis in lacking firm indurated margins. Source: Merriam-Webster/Medical Dictionary
Charcot's joints: A manifestation of late syphilis caused by loss of normal sensation in the knees and subsequent destruction of the joint.
Chlamydiae: [kluh-MID-ee-ee or Kluh-MID-eeie] Term used to refer generally to mircoorganisms that belong to the genus Chlamydia. Also, the plural of chlamydia.
Chlamydia trachomatis: [kluh-MID-ee-uh trah-KOH-mah-tus] The causative organism of lymphogranuloma venereum, chlamydial urethritis, and most cases of newborn conjunctivitis.
Cirrhosis: Scarring of the liver and poor liver function as a result of chronic liver disease.
Client: Any person served by a health department or other health or social services provider.
Client referral: See "self-referral."
Cluster interview: An interview with a noninfected partner (or social contact or associate), conducted to elicit information about persons within the social network (e.g., associates) who might benefit from counseling, examination, or testing for HIV and other STDs. Such persons might include persons with symptoms suggestive of disease, partners of other persons known to be infected, or others who might benefit from examination.
Clustering: The process of eliciting information from both infected and not infected persons about persons in their social network, other than partners. The purpose is to identify individuals who may be at risk for the disease and who would benefit from counseling, examination, or testing for STDs/HIV. These persons are referred to as social contacts (or suspects, in traditional STD program terminology) and might include persons with symptoms suggestive of disease, partners of other persons known to be infected, or others who might benefit from examination.
CNS: Central nervous system.
Coaching: The process of assisting the patient in figuring out how to notify his/her own partner about exposure.
Columnar: [kuh-LUM-ner] A special type of epithelial cell, sometimes associated with mucus production, that lines selected body surfaces, e.g., the urethra; the lining is called "columnar epithelium."
Comprehensive Risk Counseling and Services (CRCS): An intensive, client-centered counseling process aimed at ensuring the adoption and maintenance of HIV risk reduction behaviors designed for HIV-infected persons who continue demonstrating risk behaviors and for HIV negative persons who are at high risk for acquiring HIV infection and other types of STDs.
Community-level interventions (CLI): CLIs seek to change attitudes, norms and values of an entire community/target population as well as the social and environmental context of risk behaviors of the target population/community. Examples of community-level interventions implemented through the DEBI project are: Community PROMISE, MPowerment, and Real AIDS Prevention Program (RAPP).
Condylomata lata: Moist, flat, wart-like lesions that usually appear in the anogenital area; a sign of secondary syphilis and highly infectious.
Confidentiality: The ethical principle associated with the health profession (or the legal right of a client receiving health-care services) in which health professionals do not disclose information relating to a patient unless the patient gives consent permitting disclosure or disclosure is necessary to protect public health.
Confrontation: An important problem solving strategy used in partner services. To confront something or someone is "to face or bring face-to-face for the purpose of challenging." (Merriam-Webster, 2010)
Conjunctiva: [kon-junk-TIE-va] The mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and is continued over the forepart of the eyeball.
Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of the conjunctiva, a delicate mucous membrane covering the internal part of the eyelid.
Contract referral: A partner notification strategy in which an index patient identifies a specific partner to notify the partner of possible exposure and agrees to do so within a specific time frame, with the understanding that if notification does not occur within the designated time frame, the disease intervention specialist (DIS) will notify the partner.
Core area: A specific, typically geographically defined area, such as a neighborhood or census tract, in which a relatively high concentration of disease exists and which likely accounts for a large proportion of transmission in a community.
Core groups: Socially defined groups of persons who, as a consequence of continuing risky sexual or drug-injecting behavior, are likely to be sources of continued disease transmission in a network or community (i.e., are core transmitters).
Core transmitter: A person who, as a consequence of continuing risky sexual or drug-injecting behavior, is likely to be a source of continued disease transmission in a network or community.
Critical period: The most likely time the patient could have been infected or infected others based on their personal symptom history. It begins at the earliest time a patient could have been infected and ends on the date the patient was adequately treated.
CSF: Cerebrospinal fluid.
Cunnilingus: Oral stimulation of the female genitalia.

D

Darkfield examination: A confirmatory test where the causative organism for syphilis, Treponema pallidum, is identified by a microscopic examination. The microscopic examination permits light to be reflected at a certain angle making the organisms show up as light-colored subjects against a dark background, or field.
DEBI: The Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions Project (DEBI) is a national-level strategy to provide high quality training and on-going technical assistance on selected evidence-based HIV/STD/ Viral Hepatitis prevention interventions to state and community HIV/STD program staff.
Diplococci: A bacterial morphology consisting of one coccus (a round bacterium) joined to another of the same shape, looking something like a "figure 8."
Disease: Abnormal condition of the body (e.g., illness or sickness) often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs).
Disease intervention: The process of stopping development, the spread of and the complications of disease.
Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS): A health department staff member who is specially trained to interview persons infected with HIV or another STD (i.e., index patients); elicit information about their partners and associates; notify the partners of their possible exposure; ensure that the partners are offered appropriate services, including examination, treatment, and referrals; and provide prevention counseling to index patients, partners, social contacts, and associates.
Disseminated gonococcal infection: The systematic spread of gonorrhea through the circulatory system throughout the body.
Drug-injection partner: A person with whom a patient shares drug-injection equipment (e.g., needles, syringes, cottons, cookers, or rinse water). These persons have been traditionally referred to as needle-sharing partners or syringe-sharing partners.
Dual referral: A notification strategy in which an index patient, together with a health-care provider (typically a disease intervention specialist) notifies a partner of the partner's possible exposure. The strategy allows the provider to provide direct support to the index patient during the notification process and provide the partner with immediate access to counseling, testing, and other information resources (e.g., referrals).
Duty to warn: A legal concept that a health-care provider who learns that an HIV-infected client is likely to transmit the virus to another identifiable person must take steps to warn that person. State laws determine which circumstances constitute a duty to warn.
Dysuria: [dis-yoo-REE-uh] Painful or difficult urination.

E

Early syphilis: Primary, secondary, and early latent syphilis.
Ectopic pregnancy: [ek-TOP-ik] (meaning "out of place") Pregnancy occurring anywhere except in the uterus; usually refers to pregnancy that occurs in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus.
Elicitation: The process of asking for names, exposure, locating, clustering, and descriptive information on a patient.
Endocervical: [en-doh-SUR-vic-ul] Pertaining to the interior of the cervix, especially the endocervical canal.
Endocervix: [en-doh-SUR-viks] The epithelial and glandular lining of the uterine cervix.
Endometritis: [en-doh-mee-TRY-tis] Inflammation of the endometrium or lining of the uterus.
Endometrium: [en-doh-MEE-tree-um] The layer of tissue that lines the uterus.
Epidemiologic (or prophylactic) treatment (epi): Preventive treatment used to abort the disease before it develops (i.e. while still incubating).
Epididymis: [ep-i-DID-uh-mis] A coiled segment of the spermatic ducts that serves to store, mature and transport spermatozoa between the testis and the vas deferens.
Epididymitis: [epi-did-uh-DIE-mi-tis] Inflammation of the epididymis.
Epithelium: The covering of internal and external surfaces of the body. It consists of cells and is classified into types on the basis of the number of layers in depth and the shape of the cells.
Eukaryotic organism: [you-care-ee-AH-tick] An organism that has its genetic material bound up within each cell in a membranous structure called the nucleus.
Evidence based: Findings from the scientific literature, including data from studies on patient acceptance of various partner services strategies, and on the effectiveness of various referral strategies for prevention and disease intervention for specific disease conditions. Partner services should be as evidence based as possible.
Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): The process by which treatment for partners of persons diagnosed with gonorrhea or chlamydial infection is administered before clinical evaluation. Medications or prescriptions are delivered through either: 1. the index patient (i.e., patient-delivered partner therapy) or 2. a disease intervention specialist (i.e., field-delivered therapy).
Extragenital: Situated or originating outside the genital region or organs.

F

Fallopian [fuh-LOH-pee-uhn] tube: A slender tube extending from the ovary to the uterus.
False negative: A negative or nonreactive test result caused by imperfect testing methods or procedures when, in fact, the person does have the infection.
False positive: A positive or reactive test result caused by imperfect testing methods or procedures when, in fact, the person does not have the infection.
Fellatio: Using the mouth or tongue to stimulate the penis.
Flagella: A long lash-like appendage serving as an organ of locomotion. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/flagella (accessed: February 17, 2019).
Fomites: Previously contaminated, nonliving substances or objects, that transmit the infecting organism.
Fourchette: [foor-SHET] A small fold of membrane connecting the labia minora in the posterior part of the vulva. "fourchette." Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, Inc. 25 Jan. 2011.

G

General paresis: Insanity caused by syphilitic alteration of the brain that leads to dementia and paralysis.
Genus name: The name applied to a grouping of closely related organisms.
Geometric dilution: Progressively diluting the amount of serum by half while keeping the antigen constant.
Ghosting: An important visual aid to determining source/spread relationships between a patient and their partners. Ghosting combines symptom information obtained from a patient and basic information about typical (average) syphilis symptoms to develop a reasonable course of disease for that patient. Ghosting plays an important role in identifying time periods where more intensified disease intervention activities should be used.
Gonococcal: [gon-oh-KOK-ul] A pus-producing bacterium of the genus Neisseria (N. gonorrhoeae) that causes gonorrhea.
Gram stain: A laboratory staining procedure in which different parts of cells are stained different colors so that they can be distinguished.
Group-level intervention (GLI): Group-level interventions seek to change individual behavior within the context of a group setting. Examples of group-level interventions implemented through the DEBI project are: Healthy Relationships, Women Involved in Life Learning from Other Women (WiLLOW), Many Men Many Voices, SISTA, VOICES/VOCES.
Gumma: A tumor-like inflammatory lesion of late syphilis caused by a sensitivity reaction to Treponema pallidum.

H

Hepatic tissue: Tissue of the liver. Medical terms related to the liver often start in hepato- or hepatic from the Greek word for liver.
HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (CPG): A planning group consisting of local health officials, representatives from affected communities, and technical experts who share responsibility for developing a comprehensive HIV prevention plan for their community. The intent of the process is to increase meaningful community involvement in prevention planning, to improve the scientific basis of program decisions, and to target resources to those communities at highest risk for HIV transmission and acquisition.
HIV prevention counseling: An interactive process between client and counselor aimed at reducing risky sex and drug-injection behaviors related to HIV acquisition or transmission.
Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA): Managed by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HOPWA funding provided to communities for the provision of housing assistance and related supportive services to people with low incomes who are living with HIV/AIDS.
HPV: Human Papillomavirus
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): Any of several retroviruses and especially HIV-1 that infect and destroy helper T cells of the immune system causing the marked reduction in their numbers that is diagnostic of AIDS. Also called AIDS virus, human immunodeficiency virus. Source: Merriam-Webster/Medical Dictionary
Humoral immunity: [HYOO-mer-ul] The immunity system that relies on antibodies, which are produced by B-cells.

I

Inclusion: Any small intracellular body found within another. In chlamydial infection, it is a sphere within the human cell that the reticulate bodies make to isolate and protect themselves from the rest of the cell's contents.
Incubation period: The time interval between the initial exposure to infection (i.e., the entrance of the bacteria or pathogen into the body), and the appearance of clinical signs or symptoms of disease, or a positive laboratory test result.
Index case: The first case recognized or reported during an outbreak or epidemic. In epidemiology, the term case generally refers to an episode of infection or disease, not to a unique person. An index case is not necessarily the source of an outbreak or epidemic; it is simply the first case identified. In the context of HIV/STD partner services, an index case is a newly reported case that prompts the initiation of an investigation to identify other possibly related cases. For curable STDs, the term index case refers to discrete episodes of infection. A person who has recurrent episodes of a curable STD during a defined time period is counted as a separate index case for each episode. For example, a person who has three reported episodes of gonorrhea during 1 year would represent three index cases during that year. In contrast, once a person is infected with HIV, the person remains infected; therefore, once a person with HIV infection is identified, the person will not be counted as an index case again in the future.
Index patient: "Index patient" is defined as a "person with newly diagnosed or reported STD/HIV infection." CDC, MMWR 2008.
Indicator: A measure used to determine an organization's performance of a particular element of care over time. The indicator might measure a particular function, process, or outcome.
Indurated: Hardened, as in soft tissue that becomes extremely firm.
Infection: Invasion and multiplication of a pathogen in a person's body.
Infectious Dose 50 (ID): The number of organisms required to infect 50% of the people exposed to that dose of the organism.
Inguinal: Pertaining to the region of the groin.
Inoculation: The introduction of an organism, serum, vaccine, or other antigenic material into tissues of living plants, animals, or media culture.
Inoculation point: The exact time when an infectious agent enters/infects the body.
Interview period: The period of time for which an index patient is asked to recall sex or drug-injection partners. Because of differences in biological factors and progression of various diseases, the recommended interview period varies by disease.
Intracellular bacteria: Bacteria that are unable to survive outside of a living host cell.

J

Jaundice: Jaundice is a yellow color in the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes.
Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction: A short-term immunologic reaction commonly seen following antibiotic treatment of syphilis. It is manifested by sudden fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and inflammation of syphilis lesions; most often observed in secondary syphilis. It is thought to occur as a result of the rapid release of endotoxin-like substances from the killed or dying treponemes after treatment. The reaction rarely lasts longer than 24 hours.

K

Kassowitz' law: The longer the duration of the mother's untreated syphilis infection before the pregnancy, the less likely it is that the fetus will be stillborn or infected.

L

Lesion: An abnormal change in the structure of an organ or body part that is due to injury or disease, and especially one that is circumscribed and well defined.
Lexicon: The vocabulary of a language, an individual speaker or group of speakers, or a subject. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2010.
LGV (Lymphogranuloma venereum): [lim-fuh-gran-yuh-LOH-muh vuh-NEER-ee-uhm] A sexually transmitted disease that is rare in the US, which causes large, painful, swollen lymph nodes in the groin.
Lot System: A system of organizing cases so that related cases are filed in the same "lot" (folder). The goal is to assure that all obtainable information regarding the continuing management of related cases contained in lot is readily available to all responsible workers.
Lymphocytes: [LIM-foe-sites'] White blood cells.
Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV): [lim-fuh-gran-yuh-LOH-muh vuh-NEER-ee-uhm] A sexually transmitted disease that is rare in the US, which causes large, painful, swollen lymph nodes in the groin.
Lymphoids: Of, relating to, or being tissue (as the lymph nodes or thymus) containing lymphocytes. Source: Merriam-Webster/Medical Dictionary

M

Meninges: The linings of the brain and spinal cord.
Meningitis: [men-in-JIE-tis] Inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain or spinal cord, caused by infection. (Collins English Dictionary via Dictionary.com)
Microabrasions: Tiny tears caused by friction.
Motivation: Implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2010.
Metazoa: Animal forms that cause disease. These diseases and infestations include scabies, pediculosis pubis, and guinea worm infections.
MOU/MOA: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is a documented agreement between two parties. For example, Health Departments may have MOUs with local community based organizations (CBOs) to provide services to the community or a certain population.
MPC (Mucopurulent cervicitis): [mew-kuh-PURE-yuh-lent sur-vi-SIE-tis] Inflammation and subsequent production of pus in the endocervix.
MSM: Acronym for "men who have sex with men."
Mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC): [mew-kuh-PURE-yuh-lent sur-vi-SIE-tis] Inflammation and subsequent production of pus in the endocervix. Diagnosed when a clinician sees pus (white blood cells) on the cervix, (opening to the uterus) while doing a pelvic exam. Another sign of MPC is when there is bleeding from the cervix during the exam.
Mucopurulent secretions: [mew-kuh-PURE-yuh-lent] Muscus mixed with pus.
Mucous patches: White, patchy growths, usually found in the mouth, that are symptoms of secondary syphilis and are highly infectious.
Mycoplasma: A type of bacteria that is very small and lacks a cell wall. One form is associated with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
Mycoplasma genitalium: The smallest prokaryote (parasitic bacterium) capable of self-replication. Because of its small size and growth requirements, M. genitalium is highly fastidious, making diagnosis by culture of the organism impractical.
Mycoplasma hominis: A strain of bacteria present in the vagina. It may or may not belong to the normal vaginal flora. It is also believed to be a cause of pelvic inflammatory disease. If so, it would be only one of many known causes. This species is known to frequently colonise the genital tract of sexually active men and women. This bacterium has also been associated with post-abortal and post-partum fever.

N

NAAT (Nucleic acid amplification test): Non-culture tests used to diagnose chlamydial infections.
Nasopharynx: [ney-zoh-FAR-ingks] The upper part of the pharynx continuous with the nasal passages.
Natural history: The "natural history" of a disease refers to the typical progression and effects of that disease over time.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae: [nye-SEER-ee-ah gon-ah-REE-ah] The formal name of the organism that causes gonorrhea.
Neurosyphilis: The neurologic complications as a result of syphilis infection, involving the central nervous system.
NGU (nongonococcal urethritis): Diagnosed when a male patient has objective evidence of urethritis and tests for gonorrhea are negative.
Nomenclature: A system or set of terms used in a particular science. "nomenclature." Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, 11th edition. 2014.
Nongonococcal urethritis (NGU): [non-gon-oh-KOK-ul] Diagnosed when a male patient has objective evidence of urethritis and tests for gonorrhea are negative.
Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT): Nonculture tests used to diagnose chlamydial infections.

O

Obligatory intracellular organisms: Organisms that can only live within cells. They survive by a replication cycle that kills the cells in which they are growing.
Occlusion: A shutting off or obstruction of something (i.e. coronary artery). Dictionary.com (accessed February 17, 2019)
Ongoing partner services: The concept that partner services should be available to persons with HIV infection at any time needed throughout the course of their life.
Ophthalmia: [of-THAL-mee-uh] Inflammation of the eye.
Ophthalmia neonatorum: Gonococcal inflammation of the eye or eyelid of an infant, usually acquired from the mother during passage through an infected birth canal.
Organelles: Specialized structures on a cell wall of a bacterium that help with functions like movement, digestion, and reproduction.
Original interview: The first interview conducted with an infected patient. The primary purpose of the original interview is to gather information from index patients about partners they have had during the relevant interview period.
Original patient: See index patient.
Outcomes: Benefits or other results (positive or negative) for clients that might occur during or after their participation in a program. Outcomes can be client level or system level.
Overall responsible party (ORP): The person who accepts overall responsibility for implementing and enforcing HIV/AIDS and STD data security standards and who might be liable for any breaches of confidentiality.

P

Papule: Elevated skin lesion.
Partner: For persons with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydial infection: refers to sex partners (i.e., persons with whom an index patient has had sex at least once, not just regular or main partners); for persons with HIV infection: refers to sex and drug-injection partners (i.e., persons with whom an index patient has had sex or shared drug-injection equipment at least once, not just regular or main partners).
Partner elicitation: The process of obtaining the names, descriptions, and locating information of persons who are partners (or social contacts) of an index patient. Partner elicitation is one step in the process of partner referral.
Partner notification: The process of locating and confidentially notifying partners that they have been exposed to an infection. Partner notification is one step in the process of partner referral.
Partner referral: The process in which partner names are elicited (i.e., partner elicitation), partners are located and notified of their exposure (i.e., partner notification), and notified partners receive a combination of counseling and referrals for testing (or in some cases, testing in the field) and other social support services.
Partner services: A broad array of services that should be offered to persons with HIV infection, syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydial infection and their partners. Identifying partners and notifying them of their exposure (i.e., partner notification) are two critical elements of these services. Other elements include prevention counseling, testing for HIV and other types of STDs, linkage to medical evaluation and treatment, and linkage or referral to other services, such as reproductive health, prenatal care, substance abuse treatment, social support, housing, legal services and mental health services.
Partner services providers: This is the term used to describe personnel who are specifically trained to provide partner services. Most partner services providers are based in local and/or state health departments. Some health departments use different titles for persons providing partner services, such as disease intervention specialists (DIS).
Pathogen: A specific causative agent (as a bacterium or virus) of disease.
Pathogenesis: The origination and development of a disease.
Patient: A client who is diagnosed with HIV infection or another STD.
Patient referral: See self-referral.
Performance measure: A quantitative tool that provides an indication of an organization's performance in relation to a specified process or outcome.
Personal identifier: A datum or collection of data that allows the identity of a single person to be determined with a specified degree of certainty.
Peritoneum: [pear-e-toe-nee-um] The smooth transparent serous membrane that lines the cavity of the abdomen of a mammal, is folded inward over the abdominal and pelvic viscera, and consists of an outer layer closely adherent to the walls of the abdomen and an inner layer that folds to invest the viscera.
Phagocytic System: [fag-uh-SIT-ik] First component of the immune system.
Phagocytosis: [fag-uh-sit-OH-sis] The engulfing and (usually) the destruction of particulate matter by phagocytes.
Pharyngeal: [fuh-RIN-jee-uhl] In the back of the throat; pertaining to the pharynx.
Pharynx: [FAR-ingks] The passage that leads from the cavities of the nose and mouth to the larynx (voice box) and esophagus. "pharynx." The American Heritage® Science Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company. 23 Feb. 2011.
PID: Pelvic inflammatory disease. PID refers to a serious ascending infection of the female genital tract above the cervix. It is often the result of gonococcal or chlamydial infection.
Plasmid: A segment of DNA, usually circular, that exists and replicates outside of the chromosome.
PMN: Polymorphonuclear leukocyte: A type of white blood cell having a multilobulated nucleus that is part of the phagocytic system.
Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP): Administration of antiretroviral drugs to HIV-negative persons who have been exposed to HIV in an effort to prevent establishment of infection. The treatment is initiated within 72 hours of exposure and generally continues over the course of a 28-day period.
Post-Interview Analysis: An analysis of the information obtained during the interview. This analysis should be done immediately after the interview when the information is still fresh in your mind.
Prenatal care: CDC recommends HIV screening for all women as a standard part of prenatal care in order to identify and treat HIV in pregnant women and to prevent transmission of HIV to infants. Women who test positive for HIV and begin treatment early in their pregnancy reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to their baby to 2 percent.
Prevention counseling: An interactive process between client and counselor aimed at reducing risky sex and drug-injection behaviors related to acquisition or transmission of HIV and other types of STDs.
Primary disease intervention: The process of preventing disease by treating persons who may have been exposed to infection but who, upon medical examination, have not yet developed signs or symptoms of active disease, and whose lab test results are negative or unknown at the time of examination.
Prion: [pree-on] Transmissible pathogenic agents that cause a variety of neurodegenerative diseases of humans and animals.
PriPen: Abbreviation for primary penile lesion.
Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA): A public law that provides for analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape in federal, state, and local institutions and for information, resources, recommendations, and funding to protect persons in prison from rape.
Privilege to warn: The legal concept that a health-care worker is legally permitted to warn the partners of an HIV-infected person of the risk of past or future exposure to HIV.
Problem: An intricate, unsettled question; a source of perplexity, distress or vexation. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2010.
Proctitis: [prok-TIE-tis] Inflammation of the rectum, with pain and discharge.
Program collaboration and service integration: A mechanism of organizing and blending interrelated health concerns, separate activities, and services to maximize public health impact through new and established linkages among programs to facilitate delivery of services.
Prokaryotic organisms: [pro-care-ee-AH-tick] Organisms that do not have a nucleus so their genetic material is loose within the cell.
Prophylaxis: Measures designed to preserve health and prevent the spread of disease; protective or preventive treatment.
Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate gland.
Protozoa: Unicelluar organisms that, unlike bacteria, have a relatively complex structure.
Provider referral: A notification strategy in which a health department specialist (e.g., partner services provider/disease intervention specialist) confidentially notifies a partner of possible exposure.
Proviral/provirus: A form of a virus that is integrated into the genetic material of a host cell and by replicating with it can be transmitted from one cell generation to the next without causing lysis.
Prozone reaction: A false negative response resulting from overwhelming antibody titers which interfere with the proper formation of the antigen-antibody complex necessary to create a reactive test. This prozone effect in syphilis testing can be expected in cases of disproportionately high antibody titers, such as secondary syphilis.
Psychosocial services: Supportive psychosocial services are designed to meet both psychological and social needs. Psychological needs include distressing feelings, anxiety producing thoughts, self-defeating beliefs, addictions, etc. Social needs include dysfunctional relationships, discrimination, poverty and the lack of basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, etc.

Q

Quality: The degree to which a health or social service meets or exceeds established professional standards and user expectations.
Quality improvement: An approach to the continuous study and improvement of the processes of providing services to meet the needs of the person and others.

R

Rapport: "A close or sympathetic relationship" Webster's New World College Dictionary, 2010. Establishing rapport with your patients paves the way for partner services by helping the patient feel both respected and listened to.
Reactor grid: The use of quantitative test results, age, and sex criteria to identify which persons with reactive syphilis tests are most likely to be untreated and infectious cases.
Reagin: An antibody-like substance found in the sera of patients with syphilis.
Referral: "The process of directing or redirecting (a patient) to an appropriate specialist or agency for definitive treatment." Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary, 2010.
Reinterview: An interview that follows the original interview with an index patient. The reinterview is used to gather additional locating information about partners identified by index patients during the original interview, monitor the status of partners index patients initially decided to notify themselves, elicit names of additional partners index patients might not have recalled in the original interview, and verify that index patients have received adequate treatment or additional tests.
Reticulate body: The form of chlamydiae that develops from an elementary body, and which enables replication of the microorganism.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA): Any of various nucleic acids that contain ribose and uracil as structural components and are associated with the control of cellular chemical activities. Source: Merriam-Webster/Medical Dictionary
RPR: Rapid Plasma Reagin. A standard non-treponemal laboratory test that is used in the diagnosis of syphilis.
Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 1996: The law reauthorizing the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, a program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration that provides for grants to support the medical care needs of low-income, uninsured, and underinsured persons living with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV infection.
Ryan White Case Management: The Ryan White CARE Act supports services to HIV-seropositive persons by directing communities to develop a comprehensive, coordinated system of health care delivery by building on resources in the community. HIV prevention is often mentioned as a general goal.

S

Salpingitis: Inflammation of the fallopian tube; often used as a synonym for PID.
Secondary disease intervention: The process of stopping the spread and complications of a disease. In this case, the person is already infected. We want to get them in for prompt and accurate medical examination and treatment to prevent further complications; eliminates the potential for infecting others.
Self-limited: Existing for only a limited time, before ending by itself.
Self-referral: A notification strategy in which an index patient accepts full responsibility for informing a partner of possible exposure and referring the partner to appropriate services. A health-care provider helps the index patient determine when, where, and how to notify the partner as well as how to cope with potential reactions. This process is also known as client referral and patient referral.
Self-efficacy: A person's belief in his/her ability to do a thing well.
Sensitivity of a test: The proportion of persons with a disease that are correctly identified by that test.
Serologic tests: Blood tests.
Serostatus: Status with respect to being seropositive or seronegative for a particular antibody. "serostatus." Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, Inc. 18 Jun. 2010.
Sexicon: A lexicon of terms that have to do with sex and sexual slang that was developed for partner services training. It also includes a section on drug slang that may be relevant to you and the populations with whom you will be working.
Sexual assault: Comes in many forms: rape, hate crimes, incest, child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation by helping professionals, sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and drug facilitated sexual assault. Sexual assault has far-reaching ramifications for the victim, including possible exposure to STDs or HIV/AIDS.
Shigellosis: [shig-uh-LOH-sis] An infection of the gastrointestinal tract.
Signal Cascade: A process in which one cellular reaction leads to another.
Signs: Objective manifestations of disease (e.g., fever, rash, etc.).
Snuffles: A heavy mucoid discharge of the nose and pharynx in infants; may be due to congenital syphilis.
Social contact: A person named by the index patient during an interview as part of the social network who is not a sex or drug-injection partner of the index patient. Social contacts (referred to as suspects in previous STD partner services guidelines) might include persons with symptoms suggestive of disease, partners of other persons known to be infected, or others who might benefit from examination.
Social network: A group of persons connected by various types of social relationships, such as family, work and recreational relationships, sexual partnerships, and drug-using relationships. The social network might also include venues in which interactions among members of a social network occur. Persons in a social network might share social, economic, cultural, or behavioral characteristics that influence their risk for various health conditions, including HIV infection and other STDs.
Source period: The time during which the patient must have contracted the disease from another infected person.
Species name: Following the genus name, the species name designates the specific species of an organism.
Spirochetes: [spy-row-KEY-teez] A corkscrew-shaped bacterium with unique motility. A spirochete appears worm-like, spiral-shaped, and wiggles vigorously when viewed under a microscope. Example: Treponema pallidum, the cause of syphilis.
Spread period: The time during which the patient was infectious and could have passed the disease to others with whom he or she had sex.
Spread Re-Infection Diagram: A model that shows how a patient will get an infection from partners of partners of partners of his/her untreated partners. It shows an indirect transmission back to the index patient.
Standards: Elements or procedures that must be followed by CDC grantees in virtually all instances in which CDC funds are used to support services.
Subacute: Falling between acute and chronic in character especially when closer to acute.
Less marked in severity or duration than a corresponding acute state.
Subclinical or asymptomatic infection: No symptoms or signs of disease.
Support Group: Elements or procedures that must be followed by CDC grantees in virtually all instances in which CDC funds are used to support services.
Suspect: A social contact. This term has historically been used to describe a person named by an index patient as part of the social network who is not a sex or drug-injection partner of the index patient. These persons might have symptoms suggestive of disease, might be partners of other persons known to be infected, or might be other persons who might benefit from examination.
Symptoms: Subjective manifestations of disease (e.g., pain, itchiness, etc.).
System: A group of related processes.
Systemic: Affecting the body generally.

T

T cells

Any of several lymphocytes (as a helper T cell) that differentiate in the thymus, possess highly specific cell-surface antigen receptors, and include some that control the initiation or suppression of cell-mediated and humoral immunity (as by the regulation of T and B cell maturation and proliferation) and others that lyse antigen-bearing cells. Also called T lymphocyte. Source: Merriam-Webster/Medical Dictionary

Tabes dorsalis

The slowly progressive degeneration of the spinal cord that occurs in the late (tertiary) stage of syphilis usually a decade or more after contracting the infection. Among the terrible features are piercing, lightning pain, ataxia (wobbliness), deterioration of the nerve to the eye (optic nerve) leading to blindness, urinary incontinence, loss of the sense of position and degeneration of the joints (Charcot's joints). Tabes is the Latin word for decay.

Third-party provider

A health or social services professional not affiliated with a health department (e.g., physicians, nurses, or counselors) who might participate in certain aspects of partner services, such as partner elicitation or partner notification via dual referral.

Third-party referral

A notification strategy by which a partner is notified of exposure to HIV or another STD by a professional other than a health department staff member (e.g., a private physician).

Titer

[TIE-tur] A laboratory measurement of the amount or concentration of a given component in solution. For example, it is the measure of syphilis antibody in the serum during a serologic test.

Trachoma

[truh-KOH-muh] A chronic contagious conjunctivitis marked by inflammatory granulations on the conjunctival surfaces, caused by a bacterium of the genus Chlamydia (C. trachomatis).

Transmission

The way microorganisms infect a person's body.

Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum)

A spiral-shaped microorganism (spirochete) that causes syphilis.

Treponeme

[trep-oh-KNEE-mah] Parasitic and pathogenic spiral microorganism.

Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis)

[trick-oh-MOAN-us vaj-gi-NAL-is] A single cell flagellum parasite that lives in the female vagina and the male urethra. It can be asymptomatic, or can cause vaginal inflammation and lead to a vaginal discharge and odor that brings a woman to the doctor's office for diagnosis and treatment.

Trichomonisis is one of the easier to diagnose causes of vaginitis, as the organism is easily seen under the microscope when a drop of normal saline is used to dilute a sample of vaginal secretions obtained with a cotton swab at the time of a vaginal examination.

U

Ulcer: A break in the skin or mucous membranes with loss of surface tissue, disintegration and necrosis (death) of epithelial tissue, and often, pus.
Urethral: [yoo-REE-thruhl] Pertaining to the transport tube leading from the bladder to discharge urine outside the body.
Urethral strictures: Narrowing of the urethra due to scar tissue.
Urethritis: [yoo-rith-RIE-tis] Inflammation of the urethra.

V

VDRL: Venereal Disease Research Laboratory. A nontreponemal serological screening test for syphilis.
Virion: [VIE-ree-on] The extracellular infective form of a virus. It is a complete virus particle that consists of an RNA or DNA core with a protein coat, sometimes with an external envelope.
Virulence factors: Damage-causing products of microorganisms that injure the host and produce signs and symptoms.
Visual Case Analysis (VCA): A tool used to visually compare the social and clinical information known about a patient with known information about the natural course of his/her syphilis infection. By examining this information, we can identify previous disease transmission activities, and then determine appropriate intervention steps to halt further disease transmission.
Visual Case Analysis (VCA) chart: A visual framework to organize and record medical and epidemiological information regarding the syphilis patient. Specific tools are used to record facts, analyze those facts, and depict the most likely scenario of who might be the source and spread of disease.
Visual Case Analysis (VCA) Pocket Assistant: A two sided, sliding informational card used to systematically guide a partner services provider through the process of plotting a case of syphilis onto a VCA chart. It includes the seven steps used for plotting the facts, basic assumption information, and ghosting hierarchy.
: [vul-voh-VAJ-i-nal] Of or relating to the vulva (the external parts of the female genital organs) and the vagina.

W

Window period: The time interval after infection during which a serologic test might be negative because antibodies have not reached a detectable level.