SUMMARY OF TRACK C - EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC-HEALTH

Aim: To review Track C on epidemiology and public health. Descriptive epidemiology: Recent trends in the descriptive epidemiology are report ed, for example, the rapid spread of HIV in certain Asian countries an d the more precise insights in the spread thanks to subtyping of HIV-1 (and HIV-2). Transmission: There is now ample evidence that sexually transmitted diseases enhance the rate of transmission. Viral load in t he plasma of the mother is highly predictive for perinatal transmissio n. Progression: Natural history studies have shown that true non-progr essors are probably rare. Preliminary evidence indicates that the prog ression rate to AIDS and death does not differ by HIV-1 subtype. Some genetic factors are associated with the rate of disease progression an d a few with susceptibility to HIV infection. Interventions and preven tion: Needle-exchange programmes as an intervention measure for inject ing drug users were hotly debated and so were HIV (home) testing and c ounselling. Successes in prevention were reported from Thailand and Ug anda, and also from small scale programmes.