WORKSHOP ON THE ORAL MANIFESTATIONS OF HIV INFECTION

该提案要求提供资金，以允许主要来自发展中国家的年轻科学家出席并积极参与将于2000年7月4日至7月7日在南非举行的第四届艾滋病毒感染口腔表现国际研讨会。由于发展中国家的年轻科学家参加这种级别会议的资金极其有限，该请求强调对外国参与者的支持。预计约有210名科学家参加该研讨会。其中，大约一半将来自美国以外，主要来自非洲、亚洲、欧洲、加拿大和中南美洲。与口腔相关的HIV研究的所有方面都将被涵盖，从基本的分子病毒学和真菌学，到临床和流行病学研究，再到心理社会、行为和法律问题。该计划强调所有参与者的积极参与，特别是在专题研讨会期间。口腔病变是最早记录的艾滋病特征之一。它们的多样性和普遍性反映在广泛和不断增长的文献中。在非艾滋病高危人群中，口腔念珠菌病的流行在早期就被证明是艾滋病的前兆。随着毛状白斑的发现，很快就清楚了这也是HIV感染和随后发展为艾滋病的一个指标。口腔病变除了在诊断艾滋病毒感染和作为艾滋病毒疾病进展指标方面的作用外，还被用作CD4计数的临床相关性，作为进入临床试验的标准，以及作为易于研究和获取的艾滋病毒感染粘膜免疫异常模型。它们的存在在重要方面与当前抗hiv治疗的疗效和失败有关。口咽病变引起显著的发病率，但许多可以使用相当简单的治疗方法进行治疗。对这组病变的研究范围从流行病学和自然史研究，到基本的分子病毒学、真菌学和粘膜免疫学，再到社会和行为研究。1988年在圣地亚哥举行的第一届国际研讨会上，这一新领域的少数先驱与大约150人分享了他们的工作。1993年，300多名科学家参加了在旧金山举行的第二次讲习班，1996年，大约350名科学家参加了在英国伦敦举行的第三次讲习班。以前每一次讲习班的会议记录都已出版，是该领域的标准参考资料。现在举行第四次讲习班的时机已经成熟，在这次讲习班期间，新的发现可以纳入并与该领域的另一批新的研究人员分享，特别是来自世界上艾滋病毒/艾滋病流行最急剧增长地区的研究人员，特别是本届会议和2000年国际艾滋病会议的举办地南部非洲。预计R13会议拨款的接受者将把在研讨会上获得的知识应用到他们自己的项目中，从而为那些最需要这些改进的国家以及北美的艾滋病毒/艾滋病研究、护理和教育做出贡献。

This proposal requests funding to permit attendance and active participation of young scientists, predominantly from developing countries, at the Fourth International Workshop on the Oral Manifestations of HIV Infection to be held in South Africa July 4-July 7, 2000. Due to the extreme limitation of funds for young scientists from developing countries to attend meetings of this caliber, the request emphasizes support for foreign participants. Approximately 210 scientists are expected to attend the Workshop. Of these, about half will be from outside the U.S.A., notably from Africa, Asia, Europe, Canada, and Central/South America. All aspects of HIV research as it relates to the mouth will be covered, ranging from basic molecular virology and mycology, through clinical and epidemiological research to psycho-social, behavioral and legal issues. The program emphasizes active involvement on the part of all participants, notably during the topic-specific workshop sessions. Lesions in the mouth were among the first documented features of AIDS. Their varied nature and common occurrence is reflected in an extensive and growing literature. Oral candidiasis in non- AIDS patients who were in high-risk categories was shown early in the epidemic to be predictive of AIDS. With the discovery of hairy leukoplakia, it soon became clear that this was also an indicator of HIV infection and the subsequent development of AIDS. In addition to their role in the diagnosis of HIV infection and as indicators of the progression of HIV disease, oral lesions are used as clinical correlates of CD4 counts, as criteria for entry into clinical trials and as readily studied and accessible models for mucosal immune abnormalities in HIV infection. Their presence relates in important ways to the efficacy and failure of current anti-HIV therapies. Oropharyngeal lesions cause significant morbidity, yet many can be treated using fairly simple therapeutic approaches. Research on this group of lesion ranges from epidemiology and natural history studies, through basic molecular virology, mycology, and mucosal immunology, to social and behavioral studies. At the First International Workshop, held in San Diego in 1988, a handful of pioneers in this new field shared their work with approximately 150 people. Over 300 scientists attended the Second Workshop in San Francisco in 1993, while approximately 350 participated in the Third Workshop in London, UK in 1996. The proceedings of each of the previous Workshops were published and are standard reference sources in the field. The time is now ripe for a Fourth Workshop, during which new discoveries can be integrated and shared with a further group of new investigators in the field, particularly those from parts of the world where HIV/AIDS epidemic is growing most dramatically, notably Southern Africa, the venue for both this meeting and to 2000 International AIDS Conference. It is anticipated that recipients of support from the proposed R13 conference grant will take back to their own programs the knowledge acquired at the Workshop where they will apply it, thus contributing to HIV/AIDS research, care and education in those countries where such improvements are most sorely needed, as well as in North America.