SEVENTEENTH INTERNATIONAL HERPESVIRUS WORKSHOP

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This proposal requests funds to enable young investigators to attend the 17th International Herpesvirus Workshop to be held at Heriott-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland from August 1-7, 1992. This workshop is the single most important meeting for the herpesvirus field. It attracts a broad-based international attendance of individuals with both basic science and clinical interests. The strength of the meeting lies in th high level of participation by researchers from diverse disciplines which promotes cross-fertilization of ideas, stimulates discussion and encourages exchange of information. Human herpesviruses cause a wide range of disease syndromes. Neoplasias such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, B-cell lymphoma and Hodgkins Disease are all associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Infectious diseases such as skin and genital ulcerations are caused by herpes simplex (HSV) -1 and -2 respectively, eye ulcerations by HSV, infectious mononucleosis by EBV and chicken pox and shingles by varicella- zoster virus (VZV). Congenital infection with HSV-2 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) are significant causes of mental retardation while in infants human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) infection produces a febrile illness, roseola infantum. Neurological disease includes HSV-1 encephalitis which can be devastating. The hallmark properties of herpesviruses, namely latency, persistence and reactivation, are central to their medical importance. Herpesviruses play an ever-increasing role as opportunistic infectious agents contributing to morbidity and mortality in the immuno-compromised. Organ (heart, lung and kidney) and bone marrow transplant recipients and AIDS patients are susceptible to EBV associated systemic and central nervous system lymphoma and oral infection (hairy leukoplakia), CMV retinitis and pneumonitis and disseminated CMV and to VZV infection. An emerging area is the development of defective, modified herpes viruses as vectors for gene therapy, with emphasis currently being placed on neuronal targeting. Animal herpesvirus have significant economic importance to the poultry (Marek's Disease virus), swine (pseudo-rabies virus), dairy (bovine rhinotracheitis virus) and equine (equine herpesviruses) industries. In addition simian herpesvirus saimiri and Marek's disease virus provide model systems for studying herpesvirus oncogenicity. Sessions will be offered on the following topics: Gene regulation, DNA replication, genome structure, enzymes and non-structural proteins, glycoproteins and structural proteins, receptors and virus entry, latency, transformation and neoplasia, immunology, viral pathogenesis, anti-virals and resistance, vaccines and prophylaxis and therapy.