Increasing genetic diversity of HIV...( Who: HIV experts from the U.S Center...),Health

Who: HIV experts from the U.S Centers for Disease Control, University of Cologne and Selera Diagnostics

What: HIV Symposium at Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) Annual Conference

When: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 9:00 to 10:00 am

Where: Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles

Why: Since the first diagnostic tests for the HIV virus came on the market in 1985, public health authorities have been concerned about HIVs ability to mutate and create new strains or subtypes that may elude detection.

As the world continues to shrink, studies suggest that the influx of immigrants to the US from countries where variant strains of HIV are more common is increasing the number of newly diagnosed patients infected with variant HIV. Optimal treatment of HIV depends on accurate measurement of viral levels. However, if variant subtypes are present and undetected, drug therapy could be ineffective.

During the AMP meeting, a special symposium will focus on the changing epidemiology of HIV and how it influences the accuracy of HIV diagnostic tests. Speakers will review several studies from CDC and other research institutions showing the alarming, rising prevalence of variant HIV subtypes in the US.

Speakers: Ulana Bodner, Commander, US Public Health Service, CDC

Rolf Kaiser, PhD, assistant professor, Institute for Virology, Univ. of Cologne

John Sninsky, vice president, discovery research, Celera Diagnostics

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