Biennial Symposium of H. ducreyi Pathogenesis and Chancroid

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Haemophilus ducreyi, which causes the genital ulcer disease chancroid, was overlooked as a significant cause of human disease until the late1980's, when several thousand cases of chancroid occurred in the United States and chancroid was found to be a major co-factor in the heterosexual transmission of HIV-1 in Africa. In 1991, the first in a series of biennial International Symposia on H. ducreyi Pathogenesis and Chancroid was held in conjunction with the International Society for STD research (ISSTDR) International Meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to promote progress in our ability to understand the biology and epidemiology of this neglected pathogen and to devise strategies to eradicate chancroid. The H. ducreyi symposium is a satellite symposium of the ISSTDR, which meets every two years, alternating between North America and Europe. This specific proposal is to request funds to assist in sponsoring the H. ducreyi symposium, specifically to partially underwrite program costs and the expense of travel of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and young faculty presenters to the next three iterations of the meeting. The 11th and 12th International Symposia will be held in Quebec City and Vienna respectively; the venue for the 13th meeting has not been determined. The major objective of the Symposium is to provide a forum for exchange of information on clinical and basic aspects of chancroid and other agents of genital ulcer disease, and to provide the opportunity for students, post-doctoral fellows and new investigators to present their research on this organism. In connecting the H. ducreyi symposium to the ISSTDR meeting, we provide participants the ability to interact with clinicians, epidemiologists, public health personnel and basic scientists who work in the broad area of STD research. The meeting also fosters interaction between investigators from the United States with those from developing countries where chancroid is endemic. Our goal is to encourage basic and clinical research in the biology of H. ducreyi and chancroid in the areas of pathogenesis, host responses, vaccine development, identification of novel therapeutic targets, epidemiology, and disease control. An approval letter from Dr. Katrin Eichelberg from the NIAID can be found in the PHS398 Cover Letter File attachment of this application. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Haemophilus ducreyi causes a genital ulcer disease called chancroid, which facilitates HIV-1 transmission. This is a request for funds to support an international meeting to discuss research on H. ducreyi in 2011, 2013 and 2015.