Latest Approaches To HIV Infection Management A Focus On HIV/TB And HIV/hepatitis Co-infections

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Conferences
Article Date: 03 Mar 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Fondation Mérieux organizes its 15th Cent Gardes Symposium in New Delhi - India on March 3-6, 2009.

The conference will be opened by Alain Mérieux, chairman of Fondation Mérieux and Professor Albert Osterhaus (Erasmus Hospital - Rotterdam). Keynote addresses will be given by Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, 2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

This conference aims at reviewing the HIV situation in India and other Asian countries in light of the strong prevalence of viral hepatitis and tuberculosis.

As co-infection with HIV and hepatitis viruses or TB strongly affects the epidemiology, diagnosis, patho-biology, and treatment of each disease, the objective of this meeting is to understand the impact of the co-infection on the prevention, detection and management of the three diseases.

More than 100 scientists, clinicians, public health actors in the fields of HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis, from all the continents - will share their knowledge and experience in order to define the most adapted strategies to mitigate the spread and the impact of the co-infections in the Indian and Asian continent.

The following major issues will be addressed:

- The epidemiological situation in Asia,
- The immunopathology and natural history of dual infections,
- Immunization (strategies of TB and HBV vaccination in HIV infected patients),
- Disease diagnosis and patient monitoring,
- Therapeutic strategies in case of co-infections.

This conference aims at promoting comprehensive care and treatment for co-infected patients, by decompartmentalizing the different diseases approaches and considering the impact of various social, economic and public health organizational factors.

This symposium falls within the framework of « The Cent Gardes » international conferences created by Dr. Charles Mérieux in 1986, during the period when the HIV infection was surfacing. Past symposiums have allowed the foremost specialists throughout the world to present their work to the international scientific community, in particular in the field of vaccine approaches for this pathology. After Beijing in 2005, this is the second time for Fondation Mérieux to organize « The Cent Gardes » international conference outside France, which shows its commitment in promoting scientific exchange and collaboration between developed and emerging countries in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

About

Founded in 1967 by Dr. Charles Mérieux, Fondation Mérieux is an independent foundation with official charitable status.

Its mission is to fight infectious diseases affecting underprivileged countries by making diagnosis and prevention solutions available to them with sustainable development in mind.

It has four main areas of action: applied research, training and exchange of knowledge, enhancing of clinical biology and healthcare infrastructure, and assistance to patients and their families. Les Cent Gardes Symposium is a perfect example of the Fondation' international actions to disseminate scientific information and innovation.

With the support of Fondation Christophe et Rodolphe Mérieux, under the auspices of Institut de France, it develops a network of laboratory outposts in the field, at the heart of infected areas. Current field sites are located in Mali, Cambodia, Laos, Haiti, China and Madagascar.

Fondation Mérieux