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Glossary

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r
recombinant
made up of pieces of DNA from different species of an organism
regeneration
renewal or restoration of a damaged part of the body
relapse
reappearance of a disease after a period of improvement
renal
relating to the kidneys
reportable disease
diseases that doctors, clinics, and/or laboratories must report to a health department; hepatitis C is a reportable disease
RIBA
recombinant immunoblot assay; a blood test that tests for antibodies to a given substance (for example, the antibodies to the hepatitis C virus)
ribavirin
oral medication in a pill form that is frequently prescribed with peg-interferon to treat hepatitis C
RNA
ribonucleic acid; the actual genetic material of a virus, like the hepatitis C virus
routine practices
procedures that reflect the idea of treating all blood and body fluids as possibly infectious so that people take the proper steps to prevent accidental or occupational exposure to infections; also known as universal precautions
RVR
Rapid Virological Response; refers to an undetectable RNA test 4 weeks into treatment and can be an indicator that the length of treatment can be shortened