The 6th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections is expected to draw 3,200 clinicians and basic scientists from around the world to present the latest research on HIV, AIDS, and opportunistic infections. The Meeting is sponsored by the Foundation for Retrovirology and Human Health and is in scientific collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Retrovirus Conference, regarded as one of the most important scientific gatherings of the year, was created to provide a forum for scientists and clinicians to present, discuss, and critique developments in the field of human retrovirology and related opportunistic complications. The retroviral subjects that will be highlighted are: biology and virology, pathogenesis, host-virus interactions, pathology, immunology, epidemiology, diagnostics, prevention, therapy, pharmacology, and vaccines. In addition, new studies concerning the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HIV-associated opportunistic infections and malignancies will be included.

Following are selected conference summaries reported exclusively for The Body by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D., Gramercy Park Physicians Group and Clinical Instructor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Kent Sepkowitz, M.D., Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Assistant Professor, Cornell University Medical College, and Jim Thommes, M.D., Pacific Oaks Medical Group and Clinical Instructor in Medicine at the UCLA AIDS Care Center.

In addition, the Seattle Treatment Education Project (STEP), publisher of the treatment journal, STEP Perspective, will be providing additional conference summaries. STEP reporters include: Jeff Schouten, M.D., Chairman, Scientific Review Committee, STEP; Brian Coppedge, Treatment Information Specialist, STEP; and Dan Dawson, Editor of the STEP Perspective.

Funding for this conference coverage at The Body is provided, in part, by an unrestricted educational grant by Bristol-Myers Squibb Immunology.

Conference Summaries:

Monday, February 1, 1999

• Slide Session 5: Antiretroviral Therapy: New Agents and Treatment Naïve Patient Populations -- Abstracts 11, 12, 13, and 15
  Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.

• Poster Session 12: Topics in Immunology and Immunopathogenesis
  Summary by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 52: Viral and Immunologic Examination of HIV-I-Infected Persistently Seronegative (HIPS) Persons

• Poster Session 15: Antiretroviral Therapy: Adherence and Quality of Life
  Summaries by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract 92: How Much Adherence is Enough? A Perspective Study of Adherence to Protease Inhibitor Therapy Using MEMSCaps
  • Abstract No. 96: Adherence to Protease Inhibitor Therapy and Viral Load
  • Abstract No. 97: Providers Estimates of Adherence Overestimate Reports From Medication as Monitoring Systems (MEMS) for Patients on Protease Inhibitors (PIs)

• Poster Session 17: Resistance to Antiretroviral Drugs
  Summaries by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 113: The Multiple Nucleoside Analogue Resistance Mutations Confer Cross-Resistance to Abacavir
  • Abstract No. 116: Mutations in the Reverse Transcriptase Genome of HIV I Isolates Derived from Subjects Treated with Didanosine and Stavudine in Combination

• Poster Session 18: Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization: Predictors of Therapeutic Success or Failure
  Summary by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 138: Reverse Transcriptase Genotype after Multiple, Sequential Nucleoside Analog Drugs and Their Response to HAART and ACTG 364

• Poster Session 27: Infection Control -- Abstracts 210-215
  Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.

Tuesday, February 2, 1999

• Poster Session 45: HAART: Effects on Repertoire, Lymphocyte Dynamics, and General Immune Response
  Summaries by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 323: Immunologic Reconstitution After 12 Months of Antiretroviral Therapy in Very Early Stages of Chronic HIV-1 Infection
  • Abstract No. 325: Immune Reconstitution of Advanced HIV Patients (Following HAART)
  • Abstract No. 331: Viral Fitness in Patients with Discordant CD4 and Plasma HIV RNA following Protease Inhibitor Failure

• Poster Session 47: Immune Based and Genetic Therapies
  • Abstract No. 357: A Randomized Controlled Multicenter Phase II Trial of Subcutaneous Interleukin-2 (scIL-2) Therapy in HIV-Infected Patients with CD4 Counts 200-500 cells/µL
    Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 359: Immunologic Parameters Modified in HIV Disease by the Drug WF10 (a Phase II Pathogenesis Study)
    Summary by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.

• Poster Session 48: Pharmacology of Antiretroviral Agents
  Summary by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 364: Co-Administration of Indinavir 1200 mg with Nelfinavir 1250 mg in a Twice Daily Regimen: Preliminary Safety, PK Activity

• Poster Session 49: Miscellaneous Antiretroviral Therapy
  Summary by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 383: Efficacy of Efavirenz (Sustiva) Concerning Regimens in Patients with Baseline Plasma HIV-1 RNA Viral Load Exceeding 100,000 copies/mL

• Poster Session 50: Hydroxyurea in the Treatment of HIV Infection
  • Abstract No. 398: Treatment with d4T + ddI + Nelfinavir + Hydroxyurea for Early or Recent Primary HIV Infection
    Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 401: Tailoring Drug Treatments with the Use of Hydroxyurea
    Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 402: Phase I/II Dosing Study of Once-Daily Hydroxyurea (HU) Alone vs Didanosine (ddI) Alone vs ddI + HU
    Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 402: Phase I/II Dosing Study of Once-Daily Hydroxyurea (HU) Alone vs Didanosine (ddI) Alone vs ddI + HU
    Summary by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.

• Poster Session 53: Antiretroviral Therapy Issues in Infants and Children
  Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 420: A Phase I Study of Hydroxyurea in HIV-Infected Children Receiving Didanosine (ddI) and/or Stavudine (d4T)

Wednesday, February 3, 1999

• Slide Session 62: Antiretroviral Therapy: Treatment Experienced Patient Populations
  Summary by Kent Sepkowitz, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 489: ACTG 364: Virologic Efficacy of Nelfinavir (NFV) and/or Efavirenz (EFZ) in Combination with New Nucleoside Analogs in Nucleoside Experienced Subjects

• Poster Session 74: Antiretroviral Therapy: Reverse Transcriptase and Protease Inhibitors
  
  • Abstract No. 603: Resistance Profile and Drug Combination Studies of an HIV-1 Protease Inhibitor BMS-232632
    Summary by Jim Thommes, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 604: BMS-232632: Single and Multiple Oral Dose Safety and Pharmacokinetic Study in Healthy Volunteers
    Summary by Jim Thommes, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 604: BMS-232632: Single and Multiple Oral Dose Safety and Pharmacokinetic Study in Healthy Volunteers
    Summary by Donald L. Kaminsky, M.D.

• Poster Session 78: Primary HIV Infection: Uncontrolled Clinical Trials
  Summaries by Donald Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 636: The Long Term Response to Combination Therapy Commenced Early in HIV Infection: 3 Year Follow-Up: What's Happened Since Vancouver?

• Poster Session 81: Mechanisms Responsible for Metabolic Complications of Antiretroviral Therapy
  Summaries by Jim Thommes, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 665: Indinavir Enhances Retinoic Acid Signaling: Nelfinavir, Saquinavir, and Ritonavir Inhibit Retinoid Effects in vitro
    
  • Abstract No. 666: HIV Protease Inhibitors Block Adiogenesis and Increase Lipolysis in vitro

• Poster Session 83: Miscellaneous Complications of Antiretroviral Therapy
  Summaries by Donald Kaminsky, M.D.
  • Abstract No. 680: Avascular Necrosis in HIV-Infected Patients: A Potential Link to Protease Inhibitors

Thursday, February 4, 1999

• Session 91: Late Breakers
  Summaries by Jim Thommes, M.D.
  • Late Breaker LB9: High Frequency of Antiretroviral Drug Resistance in HIV-1 from Recently Infected Therapy Naïve Individuals
  • Late Breaker LB10: The Spectrum and Frequency of Reduced Antiretroviral Drug Susceptibility With Primary HIV Infection in the United States
  • Late Breaker LB11: Selection of Protease Resistance Mutations in Semen
  • Late Breaker LB12: Viral Rebound in the Presence of Indinavir Without Protease Inhibitor Resistance
  • Late Breaker LB13: Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Antiviral Activity of T-20 as a Single Agent in Heavily Pre-Treated Patients
  • Late Breaker LB14: A Multi-Center, Randomized, Open-Label, Comparative Trial of the Clinical Benefit of Switching the Protease Inhibitor by Nevirapine in HAART-Experienced Patients Suffering Lipodystrophy
  • Late Breaker LB15: Randomized Trial of Abacavir in Combination with Indinavir and Efavirenz in HIV-Infected Patients with NRTI Experience
  • Late Breaker LB16: Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label Study to Compare the Antiretroviral Activity and Tolerability of Efavirenz (EFV) + Indinavir (IDV), versus EFV + Zidovudine (ZDV) + Lamuvidine (3TC), versus IDV + ZDV + 3TC at 48 Weeks (Study DMP 266-006)

Seattle Treatment Education Project (STEP) Conference Summaries by Topic

• Overview
  Coverage provided by Jeffrey T. Schouten, M.D., Brian Coppedge, and Dan Dawson
• Stopping Your HAART?
  Coverage provided by Jeffrey T. Schouten, M.D., Brian Coppedge, and Dan Dawson
• Second-Generation Drugs Fight Resistant Virus
  Coverage provided by Jeffrey T. Schouten, M.D., Brian Coppedge, and Dan Dawson
• Trials & Errors: Studies Look at Which Combinations Are Better
  Coverage provided by Jeffrey T. Schouten, M.D., Brian Coppedge, and Dan Dawson
• It's the Immune System, Stupid: Immunologic Advances Seen as the Way to Control HIV
  Coverage provided by Jeffrey T. Schouten, M.D., Brian Coppedge, and Dan Dawson
• The Trouble with Fat: Concerns Continue over the Cause and Treatment of Fat Redistribution Syndrome
  Coverage provided by Jeffrey T. Schouten, M.D., Brian Coppedge, and Dan Dawson
• Gay Cancer -- Again: Unusually High Rates of Anal Cancer Found in Gay Men and Gay Men with HIV
  Coverage provided by Dan Dawson
• HIV-Related Neoplasia: Advances and Controversies
  Coverage provided by Dan Dawson
• The Life and Times of HIV: New Infections Continue While Super Strains of HIV Grow
  Coverage provided by Dan Dawson

Conference Reports and Related Articles:

• Update from the Retrovirus Conference (February 2000)
  From AIDS Community Research Initiative of America
• Controlling HIV: Reports from the 6th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (Summer 1999)
  In STEP Perspective, from Seattle Treatment Education Project
• Report from the HAARTland (April 1999)
  From Project Inform
• Women and AIDS Update (April 1999)
  From Project Inform
• Lipodystrophy Studies in Women (April 1999)
  From Project Inform
• Children & HIV: Treatment Briefs (April 1999)
  From Project Inform
• Immune-Based Therapies (Spring 1999)
  From the Community Research Initiative on AIDS
• Hold the Protease, Please (Spring 1999)
  From the Community Research Initiative on AIDS
• Evaluating Drug Resistance Tests (Spring 1999)
  From the Community Research Initiative on AIDS
• Vertical Transmission (Spring 1999)
  From the Community Research Initiative on AIDS
• Intermittent HIV Therapy (Spring 1999)
  From the Community Research Initiative on AIDS
• HAART-Related Fat Redistribution and Metabolic Complications (Spring 1999)
  From the Community Research Initiative on AIDS
• Summaries from the Sixth Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (March 1999)
  In Survival News, from the AIDS Survival Project
• Retroviruses Conference: Finding Information on the Web (February 18, 1999)
  From AIDS Treatment News
• Retroviruses Conference, Chicago 1999 (February 12, 1999)
  From AIDS Treatment News
• Restoring HIV-Specific Immunity (February 12, 1999)
  From AIDS Treatment News
• HIV-Specific Immunity: Major Conference Sessions (February 12, 1999)
  From AIDS Treatment News
• Absence Makes the HAART Grow Fonder (February 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• IL-2 Taken to HAART (February 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• Choosing the Right Initial Antiretroviral Regimens (February 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• Unequal Care Sustains Vertical Transmission Rate (February 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• NIAID-Supported Scientists Discover Origin of HIV-1 (January 31, 1999)
  From the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Three New Agents to the Rescue (January 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• Abacavir for Salvage or Intensification (January 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• Salvage Therapy: Still More Intuition than Data (January 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• ACTG Salvage Therapy Trials (January 1999)
  From Gay Men's Health Crisis
• Retroviruses Conference Coverage on the Web
  6th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, January 31 - February 4, Chicago
  From AIDS Treatment News
• The 6th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
  The conference website