Sino-US Symposium in Drug Abuse, HIV and HCV Comorbidity

描述(申请人提供)：截至2007年底，艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染者人数接近4000万。最令人震惊的是，在中国和印度这两个人口众多的发展中国家，艾滋病毒感染率迅速上升。中国政府公布的最新统计数据显示，中国每年新感染艾滋病毒的比例为30%至50%，艾滋病毒正在从高危人群迅速向普通人群传播。尽管与中国的13亿人口相比，目前的感染率(0.06%)似乎仍然很低，但中国的艾滋病毒/艾滋病疫情正面临着潜在的爆炸。联合国艾滋病毒/艾滋病联合规划署估计，到2010年，中国的艾滋病毒感染者人数可能达到1000万人或更多。另一方面，仅注射吸毒一项就占新发艾滋病病例的40%以上，部分地区高达70%，这表明吸毒/吸毒已成为当前艾滋病毒/艾滋病流行以及中国丙型肝炎疫情不断上升的主要传播途径。此外，随着更多的艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者获得HAART，药物滥用肯定会对中国的HAART治疗的依从性和坚持性构成巨大的挑战。然而，长期以来，中国一直将药物滥用与艾滋病毒和丙型肝炎病毒感染作为独立的疾病进行研究和治疗。研讨会的重点是向中国科学界介绍艾滋病毒/丙型肝炎病毒/药物滥用共病的关键概念和知识，提高对药物滥用/艾滋病毒/丙型肝炎问题的认识，并及时分享美国在药物使用/滥用、艾滋病毒和丙型肝炎研究领域的预防和治疗经验。本次研讨会的主要目的是：(1)回顾药物滥用、艾滋病毒和丙型肝炎病毒共病的基础生物学方面的研究成果；(2)评价作为药物滥用和艾滋病毒/丙型肝炎病毒感染之间相互作用的接口的风险决策的重要性；(3)讨论药物滥用和艾滋病毒/丙型肝炎病毒感染的进一步研究和治疗的有前途的方法；以及(4)确定药物滥用和艾滋病毒/丙型肝炎病毒感染的进一步研究的挑战和机会。本次研讨会将于2008年10月21日至24日在西安中国召开的第十届全国药物依赖问题双年度会议期间举行。与公共卫生相关：滥用药物以及感染艾滋病毒和丙型肝炎病毒都会对大脑功能产生不利影响，从而影响人们照顾自己的能力，从而影响他们的日常生活质量。它们构成了巨大的社会和经济挑战。然而，中国身上的文化和社会污名，以及对药物滥用和艾滋病毒/丙型肝炎感染的科学认识有限，导致了一种错误的看法，即这些脑部疾病没有关联。这次研讨会的目的是与华人社会分享我们在这些领域的知识和经验。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The number of people living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2007 was nearly 40 million. Most astonishing is the rapid increase of HIV infection in two populous developing countries China and India. The most recent statistics released by the Chinese government show that the yearly rate of new HIV infection is at 30-50% in China and that HIV is rapidly spreading from high risk groups to the general population. Although the current prevalence (0.06%) of infection still seems remarkably low relative to China's population of 1.3 billion, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in China is facing a potential explosion. The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS projects estimates that the number of HIV-infected individuals could reach 10 million or more by 2010 in China. On the other hand, injecting drug use/abuse alone account for over 40% and as high as 70% in some areas of new HIV infection cases, suggesting that drug use/abuse has become a major HIV transmission route in the current HIV/AIDS epidemic as well as the increasing HCV epidemic in China. In addition, as the HAART becomes accessible to more HIV/AIDS patients, drug abuse will surely pose a great challenge for HAART treatment compliance and adherence in China. However, drug abuse and HIV and HCV infection has long been studied and treated as separate diseases in China. The focus of the symposium is to introduce the crucial concept and knowledge of HIV/HCV-drug abuse comorbidity to the Chinese scientific community, to increase the awareness of the drug abuse/HIV/HCV problem, and to timely share the U.S. experience in prevention and treatment in the areas of drug use/abuse, HIV and HCV research. The main goals of this symposium are to: (1) review research accomplishments in the basic biology of drug abuse, HIV and HCV comorbidity; (2) evaluate the significance of the risky-decision making as the interface of interaction between drug abuse and HIV/HCV infection; (3) discuss promising approaches to further research and treatment in drug abuse and HIV/HCV infection; and (4) identify challenges and opportunities for further research in drug abuse and HIV/HCV comorbidity. This symposium will be held in conjunction with the 10th National Biennial Conference on Drug Dependence on Oct. 21-24, 2008, Xi'an, China. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Drug abuse and HIV and HCV infection all have detrimental effects on the brain function and subsequently affect the ability of people to care for themselves and thus the quality of their daily life. They pose great social and economic challenges. However, cultural and social stigma and limited scientific understanding on drug abuse and HIV/HCV infection in China have led to a false perception that these brain diseases are not related. This symposium is aimed to share with Chinese community our knowledge and experience in these areas.